Wolfsbane
by Unclear Destiny
Summary: The night that he goes looking for his missing grandmother is the night that everything changes. (In which Mink is not a rapist or a wife beater and is also a werewolf. Aoba is the lucky mate. Koujaku is in the friendzone.)


DMMD no mine.

Warning this fic contains spanking, gore and a friendzoned Koujaku.

Inspired by www. youtube watch? v=l2S4GTD-AAw. This fic is a gift for my bffster Ari. I hope you enjoy it.

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The streetlight flickered on with a soft nearly inaudible hum, drawing in lonely moth after lonely moth to butt uselessly against the tough plastic. How useless of a mindless endeavor could that be, Aoba wondered as he stared out the glass door. Indigo lashes sunk slowly to cover light hazels before peeling apart again, iris and pupil shifting to take in the screen of his coil.

Granny was late.

Very late in fact. Worry nibbled at his insides, churning them to pieces with slow deliberate gnawing and he sighed deeply, pushing his forehead against the cool window pane.

"Aoba." Ren chirped from the bed, watching over the young man with concern. "Your emotional state is growing compromised. Are you okay?"

"Yeah…" The sky haired twenty-two year old mumbled before turning to the fluffy spitz and forcing a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just...I'm just worried, y'know?"

The smile faded from his mouth and Aoba turned back to the window, peering past his reflection and to the street just passed the walk. Any minute now Granny would walk into view and he could stop his worrying.

He had attempted to call her of course but much to his distress found the elderly woman had left her rarely used coil in her room. There was no point in doing so after that discovery and he had retreated into his room in a haze of concern.

The woman had gone to check up on one of the neighbours some blocks over. Hopefully, she had said as she stepped into her shoes and shrugged a jacket on against the late autumn chill, she would be back in an hour at most.

Three hours had passed since then and Aoba was practically vibrating with tension. Fingernails clicking impatiently against the glass he finally sighed and pulled away.

Damnit Granny.

"I'm going to go look for her. Are you coming?" He tossed a faint, close-mouthed smile Ren's way.

The allmate stood with a wag of his tail. "Of course Aoba."

Grinning Ren's way, Aoba nodded and headed to his closet, pulling open the door and withdrawing a coat he hoped was thick enough to shield him from the cool weather. Pulling it on sleeve by sleeve he buttoned it up with a hum then grabbed his bag and opened it for Ren to jump into. Waiting for the allmate to make himself comfortable, Aoba carefully hoisted the strap onto his shoulder and settled Ren against his hip.

A minute later his breath was clouding before his face in a fine mist as he locked the door behind him, vaguely proud of himself for actually remembering to this time. Glancing up to the full moon as a light shiver ran across his spine he swallowed.

There was something eerie about this night. Not a cloud showed in the starless sky and a hint of a mist shrouded the ground about his ankles. Aoba blinked slowly before shaking himself out of his light daze and turning to head up the street, dismissing the faint prickle that crawled up his nape and twitched at the hairs on his arms.

He had to find Granny, and time was ticking.

The minutes passed in silence, the only sounds in his ears the light crunch of his boots and his soft breathing. Ren peeked out of his bag, eyes on one side of the street while Aoba peered attentively at the other.

Abruptly his feet came to a halt. Down the alley to his left...was that a person on the ground? Aoba squinted through the darkness, the skin between his brows crinkling slightly as he took in the hunched shape.

"Aoba? What is it?"

"I don't know…" He mumbled softly and swallowed dryly, praying that the form wasn't what he thought it was.

Turning he slowly approached the narrow space of the alleyway, trepidatiously slinking passed garbage cans and calling into the night.

"H-hello?" Aoba called, his voice soft and leaving his lips with an embarrassing quaver.

Luminous yellow eyes pierced through the darkness and caught his breath in his chest. His heart jumped, skipping a beat and his mouth dropped slowly open as his eyes finally adjusted to the dark of the alleyway.

The hulking form rose silently from its crouched position on the ground, grew larger and larger as it stood until its massive body blocked out the moon.

Aoba's knees began to shake and he clutched fiercely at the strap across his shoulder.

What he was looking at was no person but a massive beast on two legs. Glossy brown fur rippled over its muscles and a drooling, gaping maw parted in a rabid snarl that left Aoba's gut sinking deeply into his shoes in hot white terror.

"No way…" He breathed, shrinking back step by step.

A werewolf.

He was looking at a motherfucking werewolf.

"Aoba!" Just as he was getting over his shock Ren called out from his bag and a deep growl sounded from behind him.

His body went stiff with shock. Achingly slow his head turned on his neck, eyes sweeping first across the ground to the shadow that fell over him then to the massive form looming over him. He choked and shied back, lips curling away from his teeth into a fearful grimace as his moon sized eyes beheld the sight in front of him. The monster's tongue lathed at its gums as it stared him down, clear eyes appearing to laugh at him with a silent sadism that made his toes curl.

His throat convulsed in an attempt to swallow against his dry mouth when the behemoth lunged. Aoba barely had the time to withdraw breath to shriek when a massive paw twice the size of his head crashed down into his face and tore him open brow to lip. A rapid feeling of weightlessness overcame his body for a brief second before he collided with the force of a car crash into brick, head thrown back with a sharp crack.

He heard a faint yelp from his bag and his knees hit pavement, body dropping nervelessly to the ground.

The entire affair had been over in a matter of seconds.

Distantly through a cloud of cotton balls he heard something, a roar perhaps?

Or a howl?

He didn't know how much later it was when the scent of something familiar, a spice perhaps, slipped through his half-conscious senses. His head lolled to the side, brushing up against something sturdy as he was veiled in the comforting scent.

Cinnamon. That's what the smell was. He felt mildly proud of himself for putting his finger on it. The world was fading out by degrees and it was difficult to focus any of his thoughts into some sort of order so figuring out the spice in question was rather monumental to him.

Aoba's lashes fluttered, one set peeling apart to reveal an unfocused eye which glanced about. The world was jumping up and down a bit for some reason that he couldn't quite figure out. Eventually his eye was drawn upward by the vaguest sense that he was being watched.

Hazel encountered gold.

That was the last thing he saw before the world caved in on him and turned black.

When next he awoke it was to a world of cotton. It was everywhere, muffling his ears, itching in his eyes, drying his mouth to stone. He muttered a grunt, the hazy and uncomfortable feeling making him twitch. Slowly one eye bared itself to the world, the other quite swollen shut, and stared at the ceiling.

He was...home? At least he thought he was. This ceiling looked familiar, it was one he got to see every day after all.

"Nn...nnn…" Aoba shifted ever so slightly then gasped as the distant ache in his head bloomed into a raging throb.

"-o you hear...child, st...ill."

What? Was that…? Aoba couldn't be entirely sure as he surrendered himself to the pain and slipped seamlessly into the void of unconsciousness yet again.

For how long it remained like this, slipping in and out of wakefulness he couldn't say but eventually his senses returned to him, leaving him more than the nerveless husk he had been, and when he opened one eye onto his ceiling he knew for sure he was home.

"..." A soft exhalation breathed out of him as he blinked toward the ceiling.

"Ah."

Aoba twitched and looked toward the unfamiliar voice. A stunningly large man was leaning against the wall, eyeing him with cool blue eyes beneath a pile of deep brown dreaded and feathered hair. He was naked from the waist up sans shackles about his wrists and throat and Aoba was for a second taken by the sight of his somewhat scarred, tanned flesh, admittedly intimidated by the stranger's powerful stature.

It actually left him feeling rather insignificant. He wasn't exactly a slouch himself with his workouts but there was no way he could compare to this.

It was like staring at the stars and realizing how small you truly were.

The man pushed off the wall without a word and slipped out the door, leaving Aoba staring silently after in moderate confusion.

What had happened and who was this man? Moreover why was this man in his house? Closing his eye with a frown he tried to remember but the only result was the faded pounding in his skull becoming more focused.

It was only then that he noticed the early afternoon light streaming through the curtains. Peeling his arm from the heavy blankets he groped around the corner of his bed and drug up his alarm clock, peering at it with confusion.

The last thing he could recall was going out to look for Granny with Ren when…

Blank.

Wait. Ren. Where was Ren? Normally his allmate would be piping up by now about how he was thinking too hard, or dissing his memory. A wave of panic took him over and with gritted teeth Aoba struggled upward, looking frantically about the room for the small dark blue spitz in spite of the dizziness that assailed him.

It was then that he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror. Eyebrows creeping into his hairline he gasped silently, wincing slightly as the action tugged at the stitches near his lip.

To say he looked awful was an understatement. Three ugly vivid red gashes scarred his left cheek from his brow to his lip, stitched carefully and precisely with tiny suture. He was glad that he must have been out cold from the procedure because that entire half of his face looked swollen and bruised black, left eye unable to open, a bandaid on his nose.

Jesus. What the hell had happened to him? Aoba was left gawking at his reflection in pure shock when the door slid open again and Tae walked in.

"Ah, so you are awake. For good this time I hope." Grumbled the woman though it was clear as day by the deepened lines in her face that she had been gravely worried about him.

A pang of guilt slid through him and Aoba swallowed softly, averting his gaze. Hadn't he sworn in the hospital bed all those years ago that he would do his best never to worry his grandmother again?

And here he was, failing in his promise.

"Tch, don't look like that. Here." Tae stepped forward to the bed and carefully set a pile of blue fur on the bed next to him.

"Ah- Ren!" Aoba carefully picked the sleeping allmate up, running his fingers critically over the dog's body until he was satisfied there was no external damage.

That was a relief. After seeing his own reflection it was a mild miracle that Ren seemed to be unhurt. Wrapping the allmate into his arms the man simply embraced his partner for a good moment before turning to his grandmother, gaze confused.

"Granny...What happened?"

The woman huffed sharply and gave him a critical eye.

"I should be asking you that! I come walking home and run across you being carried by some half-naked idiot, bloodied and beaten and you have the nerve to ask me what happened? Honestly. Stupid grandchild."

Her expression softened though and she reached out to rest a hand on top of his leg, shocking him momentarily. Tae wasn't generally a very openly affectionate woman but they loved each other in their own way, so for her to openly touch him in this way was slightly out of character of her.

She must have been...seriously worried about him.

"I suppose it can't be helped. Your concussion is fairly bad and memory loss comes with the territory. Can you tell me the date, Aoba?"

"The-the date?"

It went on that way for some time, Tae asking odd questions to jog his memory while she checked on the stitches binding his wounds together. She had stitched them closed as tightly knit as possible to prevent scarring but unfortunately, she said, minimal scarring at the least was to be expected. She checked his eye dilation, asked him how his mood and energy levels were and gingerly felt around the back of his head.

Aoba didn't necessarily consider himself vain but the realization that whatever had happened would leave permanent lines in his face was a bitter pill to swallow. He stewed over it for a moment before snorting and tossing his grandmother a lopsided smirk.

"I'm going to look like Koujaku, I bet he'll be thrilled."

Tae gave him a faint smile before telling him to lift his shirt up so she could apply a bruise salve to his back. The bruising on his face would have to wait, the woman explained, until his wounds scabbed over so as not to irritate them.

"Ah...Granny, just now before you came in, who was that man in my room?" Aoba asked as he tried not to wince while she worked gently over the tops of his shoulders.

Whatever had happened had certainly left him in a state.

"Hm?" Tae glanced up from her work, eyeing him.

She exhaled roughly and pulled back. "He was the one who found you. Didn't I say that?

"Oh…" Aoba murmured, glancing down to the still sleeping Ren on his lap and stroking his soft fur.

Right, Granny had said that hadn't she? That she'd come across a stranger, carrying him away. Evidently she'd convinced the burly man to follow her home for here they were.

Why the man hadn't left yet was beyond him but Aoba supposed he should be grateful, even if the thought of being carried made his ears flush in embarrassment.

A memory of comfort drifted across him and his eye drifted shut, a light frown pulling at his lips. He could remember the scent of cinnamon and the feeling of strong large arms holding him gently, cradling him like a babe.

An odd feeling welled inside him and suddenly he wasn't sure the blush around his ears was from embarrassment anymore.

That was impossible though. Even as his memory recounted the dips and lines of the stranger's musculature in a way that left him feeling flushed all the more he denied it. He wasn't gay...right?

Lips twisting in confusion, Aoba blew out a stiff breath as he felt his grandmother pull away for the last time. Tugging his shirt back down and ignoring the unpleasant sticky feeling slathered across his back he turned carefully.

"I want you to lie on your stomach until that dries." Tae said as she closed the lid to the small jar, peering at him through her brow. "And no moving around! Since you haven't been able to eat yet I'll bring you some soup and water in a little while but don't force yourself to eat if you can't. Understood?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Good." Tae stood, wiping her hands off on a towel she'd brought with her.

She turned to exit the room and Aoba swallowed deeply before shifting to follow after her with his eyes.

"Granny! I-...I'm sorry. For worrying you."

The woman, arms crossed behind her back, tilted her head to look back at him with a glower.

"Stupid grandson, it's my job to worry after you so shut up and accept it."

And with that she left the room, leaving him in silence. With a sigh Aoba turned to the sleeping dog in his lap and tenderly flattened his palm against the allmate's forehead.

A second passed and Ren's eyes clicked open with a soft whirr. He perked, tongue slipping out of his mouth and hurriedly looked up at him.

"Ren. Good morning." Aoba mustered a smile, ignoring the tinge of pain that filtered through the side of his face.

Goddamn it felt like getting his wisdom teeth out all over again.

"Good morning Aoba. If you don't mind my saying so you look unwell and are appearing to run below optimum, are you alright?" Ren shifted in his arms to sniff at the side of his face.

"Heh." Aoba laughed slightly and shrugged carefully, holding the allmate to his chest and cuddling him. "Yeah I'll be fine. Thank you for asking."

His eye narrowed momentarily, attention turned fully to Ren now. Again he ran his fingers up and down the dog's body, checking for anything out of the ordinary.

"How about you Ren?" Gently his hand slipped up the dog's hindquarters, withdrawing a flinch from the robot. "Are you hurt at all?"

"My tail and leg appear to be fractured unfortunately. Please see to them when you are ready Aoba."

Aoba sighed heavily, his eye narrowing in thought as he turned to survey the box of parts next to his desk. Though some allmates came with self-healing technology Ren as an older model was not one of these and would have to be repaired manually with different parts.

"Alright, lets see what I got…" He mumbled and shifted to move off the bed.

As soon as he was stood on his own two feet the world spun riotously, leaving him suddenly nauseated and faint. Shivering and holding a hand to his head Aoba gritted his teeth and powered through the spinning, carefully stepping over to the box of parts and crouching down.

He was out of breath just by crossing his room, this was ridiculous! Pressing the good side of his forehead to the cardboard he panted.

It was sometime later when Tae returned with a tray of soup, water and tylenol. Upon seeing her grandson squinting down at his allmate with a screwdriver in hand and parts laid out around him, she frowned deeply, eyes narrowing into a glare.

"Aoba!" She barked, causing the young man to drop the screwdriver and look up at her with a gasp.

"What did I tell you?! I do not want you to move from that bed until I give you permission to do so, idiot grandson! What are you even doing? Honestly."

Setting the tray down on the table the woman picked up the screwdriver from the bed and waved it at him.

"You have a concussion! Do you honestly think that you're up to this, whatever this is?"

Aoba's face was flushed deeply with shame but ire was growing inside him at an exponential rate. He grit his teeth tight enough to set his head to pounding again and squeezed his eye shut.

"Granny please I have to do this! Ren is injured and I just know its my fault. I have to fix him!"

Tae blew out a breath and shook her head, beginning to clear the bed of parts.

"Look at this, you've made such a mess. I meant what I said Aoba, you cannot strain yourself and with your propensity to overthink you're already at risk. Trust me on this, you cannot do this right now."

Tae gingerly removed the dog from her grandson's lap, watching the young man with concern. Really, considering she was a physician one would think her grandson would obey her orders but no.

Stupid grandchild.

Aoba's shoulders had slumped however and he nodded along, dejection obvious in his posture. Tae sighed in annoyance.

"If it's so important to you then I'll call Haga-san and ask him to fix Ren when I explain to him you won't be able to work for the time being. Alright?"

"Alright…" Aoba replied in a soft murmur, the fact that he wouldn't be able to fix Ren himself grating on him.

It was true though. He was in no condition to do this at the moment. His vision was blurry and concentrating was more than difficult, leaving him to pause multiple times just to remember what he was doing.

Still though, he felt useless. It wasn't a pleasant feeling whatsoever.

"Here." Tae settled the tray on her grandson's lap and straightened slowly, Ren's sleeping body tucked beneath her arm. "Now eat up if you can but I want you to drink all of that water, understood?"

"I understand."

"Good."

Life went on like that for awhile and Aoba found himself forgetting all about the strange man as he focused on recuperating. He received numerous visits of course, the greater majority of them coming from Koujaku. The man had promptly complimented the scabbing scars lining the side of his face, saying it would be a hit with the cute ladies.

Aoba found that he couldn't care less.

Haga-san visited as well and a month later he was back at work, much to Tae's irritation. She had wanted him to stay prone while his face healed fully but he had insisted.

Soon enough the stitches came out and Aoba was left gently prodding at the raised indents on his cheek. They were puffy and red but small compared to the size they had been when raw, albeit still spanning the length of his face.

He huffed, displeased.

"If you're so sensitive about it buy some cover-up." Tae had grumbled at him, prompting a small shriek of denial.

Then came the next full moon.

Aoba leaned against the veranda rail early in the morning peering into the clouded sky, his lashes hooded around his eyes. Running his fingers through his hair he exhaled softly.

"Ren…" He breathed to the spitz at his feet. "I know I haven't asked you this...but what happened that night last month? Do you remember?"

"...I believe the data from that time is damaged, Aoba. I am sorry." Ren uttered after a long moment had passed, his tone questionable.

"I see." Aoba frowned at the odd hesitance in Ren's voice, gaze narrowing on the round globe of milky white in the sky.

He couldn't say that he entirely believed the allmate. That hesitation was the key to his disbelief but he didn't press, instead sighing as he turned around to rest his hip against the railing. If Ren didn't want to speak of that night then he wouldn't push it further.

"Aoba!"

Ren's frantic yelp jerked him back to reality and he jolted away from the railing in surprise just in time to feel a sharp breeze pass by his back. He gasped, falling forward before spinning on his heel, sky blue hair settling slowly about his shoulders.

His eyes grew wide.

White fur…

And a snarling maw coming straight at him. Aoba barely dove out of the way a second time, a sharp yelp ripping out of him as he scooped up Ren and bolted passed the door and into his bedroom. His escape was in vain as the massive bipedal wolf tore through the entrance and stood straight with a breath, ears scraping against the ceiling.

"No way…" Aoba whispered in denial, clutching Ren against his chest as he backpedaled into the wall.

He swallowed tightly, feeling trapped in his small bedroom more than he had on the open veranda and stared as the wolf picked its way slowly through his room, teasing and taunting him as it stalked him.

He had to get out of here. Aoba's eyes flicked about, spinning desperately in his head as he looked for an escape route. The door wasn't an option, not with Granny downstairs.

Granny...he had to lead this monster away from her. Determination solidified in his gut and he narrowed his eyes, turning them back to the beast.

He was about to do something very stupid he knew, could only pray that it would work out alright.

Arms tightening on his partner Aoba took in a deep breath, standing from what had been a terrified crouch only moments before as the giant continued to advance. He exhaled.

Then he was a dart of blue booking it for the veranda. The massive creature lunged back momentarily in shock, giving him just enough room to escape and escape he did, hopping the rail and sliding down the tile.

His feet hit the road and he winced at the pain that shot through his ankles but didn't hesitate, pushing off the ground and heading up the stairs in a flash. He could hear an ominous howl echoing off the walls, a howl that sounded suspiciously like ugly laughter.

The chase was on.

He didn't know how long he ran for, full speed in only his socks but he was sure he was being toyed with, stalked and corralled into a corner. It drove him into a paranoid haze. Around every corner or dumpster there was a shadow ready to attack him and it was pushing him to the brink of insanity.

That was probably why he didn't register Ren's directions.

"Ah...hah...hah…!" Drowning for air as he crashed into a fence, Aoba sagged over on himself, one hand curling into the chainlinks while the other held fast to Ren. He looked up at the tall thing. Did he climb over? Did he even have the time? His head was pounding now, the familiar migraine splitting his skull open determinedly and he didn't know if he'd be able to.

A low growl from the entrance of the alleyway froze him in his tracks and he turned around slowly, scarred visage a pale one.

Trapped. He was trapped again. The thought sent electric currents of fear zapping up his spine and he pressed tighter to the fence as though he could somehow melt through.

The beast lunged and he turned away with a whimper, sure this was the end of him.

It wasn't.

A roar echoed in his ears and the fence at his back tore, leaving him suddenly without support. Crumpling to the ground in shock Aoba turned his gaze upward as a shadow passed over him.

Dark rippling brown fur…

This was all beginning to become very familiar somehow.

The massive beasts collided in a torrent of dust and ripping fur, shredding at each other with claws and teeth.

What was this? There was no way this could be real, no way. Werewolves, vampires, test-tube babies, they were all a thing of fantasy.

But here he was, watching with a dropped jaw as the monsters battled for dominance.

Now would probably be a very good time to get the hell out of here he couldn't help but think to himself yet he was riveted to the spot, the bloodshed making his mouth water and his heart beat faster. He couldn't rip his eyes away, strangely enamoured at the sight.

"Ren…" He whispered in a shaking voice. "Please tell me...you're seeing this too?"

"Yes Aoba."

The blue haired man nodded dumbly, clear hazel eyes flickering back and forth as the battle raged on in a war of snarls and howls. At first they had circled eachother, lunging back and forth as though teasing the others reflexes but now it was an all out brawl that kicked up dust and sent bright red blood splashing across the grimy ground.

It was...amazing.

It was clear to him that the larger of the two, the one who had seemed to jump to his defence was on the winning side and when its sharp teeth sunk into the flesh of the white ones throat and tore, ripping the head off in a single move Aoba's breath halted.

'H-...Hot...'

He swallowed roughly, blinking sharply as the thought came unbidden to him. God what was wrong with him?! That had been terrifying, not-not-

The mammoth of an animal seemed to shudder once, twice before throwing its head back in a bone-chilling howl before dropping to the ground.

"!" Aoba gasped softly and stumbled to his feet, setting Ren down as he did so.

He paused then before gingerly taking one step forward, then another until he was directly beside the massive behemoth. Dropping to his knees, entirely unsure of what to do he looked over the wolf, entirely uncaring as the deep coloured liquid on the ground soaked into the knees of his jeans.

He blinked. Wait...were those shackles?

His mind flashed immediately to the large stranger leaning against the wall in his room after he'd awoken lucid for the first time.

He'd nearly forgotten. Was this…?

Golden eyes were staring hard into his own and when Aoba breathed in there was a touch of cinnamon in the air. He remembered this. He didn't know from where but he remembered this.

Slowly, hesitantly he reached out with flat open palms and rested them upon the behemoths fur covered cheeks.

The beast did nothing, merely watched him and for a moment it went on like that, Ren watching from the side in mild confusion. Thus when the creature gathered him abruptly into large, large arms and swept him straight off his feet Aoba and Ren were both stunned.

"Aoba!" Cried the spitz as the monster leapt out of the alley and onto the roof in one powerful surge.

He whined with worry as Aoba's gasp of surprise and cry to be released filtered down into the alley and turned to race through the streets after them.

He wouldn't lose Aoba. He couldn't. He had to protect Aoba.

At all costs.

Aoba wasn't sure he would need protecting however. He didn't struggle, he didn't beat against the broad fur covered chest to be released, he just clung and wondered at the bizarre familiarity of this entire situation.

After the initial startle of being swept away in such a fashion had passed him over he felt a strange calm overcome him. The smell of cinnamon and blood was an intoxicating one that made his head spin and his gut churn into weird formations. He caught the scent of oil as well, wondered at it as they jumped building to building.

Soon enough the Northern district came into view and he swallowed, pushing into the barrel of a chest he was held to as nerves began to swam through him. He supposed it made sense that the werewolf would live here of all places, and he knew that he could take care of himself for the most part but none of that helped to settle his nerves.

There were dangerous people in these parts. People more dangerous than him.

Eventually they came to a half crumbled building littered with people. They turned and gaped at the sight of them but split around them with reverence shining in their eyes. Aoba lifted his eyes back to the golden pair above him, his brow furrowing and eyes narrowing with confusion.

Who was this beast to inspire such looks?

They came to a hallway lined with doors and eventually slipped into one toward the end. A light, dim and ugly yellow, turned on automatically and Aoba glanced about. The room was a simple one, a cot in the corner, a bedside table, a wardrobe. His eyes landed upon a cockatoo preening itself on the corner of the metal rail headboard just in time for him to finally be set down.

He stumbled slightly under his own weight, the aftereffects of adrenaline making him marginally dizzy now that he was standing on his own. He wasn't sure what to think as he stared up and up at the beast, mouth gently parted as silence shrouded them.

Then the fur around him seemed to loosen and slip, making for a peculiar and grotesque sight as the flesh moved and the figure shrank. Aoba took a step back in surprise and disgust as the beast warped and twisted, shuddering.

The pelt slipped off entirely, pooling around the man's broad feet and caught only by the cuffs on his wrists.

It was as he had thought. He recognized the stranger from his room immediately, the distinct face and dreadlocks an instant indicator as to the man's identity. He was dressed only in sweatpants and shaded in a ripe red that made Aoba gasp. He'd known that the wolf man had been injured, had smelled the blood and seen it both as the two skirmished on the ground but the extent of the man's wounds were breathtaking.

"You're-"

"Go to sleep."

Aoba blinked in surprise. "Wh-What?"

Then he frowned deeply and stepped forward, gesturing swiftly at the man. "You're hurt! We need to treat your wounds before they become infecte-"

As he spoke the dreadlocked man's hand rose and closed in over his eyes leaving him suddenly in darkness. The indigo haired youth grunted in surprise and lifted his hands to bat the wide paw away.

"I said go to sleep."

Aoba's motions paused as his world tunneled in, leaving him with only that pleasantly deep voice rotting his brain. Suddenly, he wondered as his shoulders began to sag, he was exhausted. The combination of being chased through the winding streets of the Old Residential District, the adrenaline, the terror must all have gotten to him and left him barren of energy.

Hazel eyes drifted shut with a soft sigh. He'd been ignoring his body until now and it felt so good to give in and simply rest.

The hypnotizingly warm hand pulled away and left Aoba blinking in the dim light, mouth parted and expression somewhat vacant. Instead the wide palms settled on his shoulders and turned him around, giving him a shove toward the bed. He stumbled forward the few steps toward it and promptly fell atop it, ignoring the squeaks of dismay of the springs holding the lumpy mattress aloft.

Within moments his breathing evened out as peace and the smell of cinnamon assailed him.

Unaware of the eyes watching him, Aoba slept.

Eventually the man shed his pelt and left it to disintegrate to dust, walking out of the room and leaving the pink feathered cockatoo to watch over him.

He dreamed of golden eyes.

When he awoke it was to silence.

Aoba turned his nose into the pillow, smelling in the sweet scent that clung to it as he shifted slowly into wakefulness, stretching his body out. His legs ached he realized, and his feet hurt though for the life of him he couldn't figure out why.

"Mnnn...Ren?" He called out, voice soft as he groped around with one foot.

The allmate typically slept by his feet, sometimes on them during the time of year so when Aoba didn't find him immediately he frowned and opened his eyes to look down at the foot of his bed.

Except it wasn't his bed. He jolted, turning his head about rapidly to take in his surroundings and finding them bare and bland. What the hell? Where was he?

A splotch of inky black caught his eye and he turned his gaze downward, taking in the sight of his knees.

His jeans were ruined, stained by what he recognized to be oil.

"...?"

And just like that it all came back to him. That was right, he'd been cornered in his bedroom by a goddamn WEREWOLF of all things and had run for his life. He'd been cornered after exhausting himself with sheer bloody panic and had been ready to accept his imminent death.

But then…

He closed his eyes. He smelled cinnamon.

He'd been rescued and brought here. Turning around Aoba settled his gaze upon the pink cockatoo still perched upon the headboard. Swallowing and feeling guilty and bereft over the way he'd just left Ren behind like he had had, he gave what he figured to be an allmate a wan smile.

"Hey there...whats your name?"

The bird tilted its head to the left before speaking in a deep voice that sent a pang through his gut. Just like Ren...

"I have no name." The allmate replied.

"A-Ah...I see." Aoba frowned.

What kind of person didn't give their allmate a name? He hummed, then shivered with a sigh.

He was cold. There was no heat in this building apparently, or it was just turned off because he could see the faint plumes of his breath misting before his face. Wearing only a sweater, jeans and socks he was completely unarmed for the weather as it was. He looked toward the wardrobe with a pensive expression before shaking his head.

This wasn't his room. He had no right to wear another person's clothes. Instead he gathered the blankets around himself, flushing ever so slightly as he noticed the hint of spice lingering on them.

Could it be that this was his room? There seemed to be no other alternative, in spite of the extreme lack of personal touches Aoba thought as he glanced around. For some odd reason he felt quite comfortable here in this barren room, and wondered why.

"So...I know that we're in the Northern district but what is this place?" He asked, voice soft as he turned back toward the cockatoo.

"Scratch headquarters." The bird answered simply and Aoba's mouth dropped open in shock.

"Wha-Scratch?!"

Then could that mean...Aoba's mind flashed to the clear reverence shining in the mens eyes, the way they had split to allow the wolfman carrying him like some biblical sea and swallowed.

"Then the man who carried me in here...is he the leader?"

"Yes."

The sky haired youth swallowed tightly, clutching the blankets tighter about himself and turning to bury his nose in his shoulder. His eyes peered through his furrowed brow at the wall, large with worry. What was this? Why had he been taken here to the Scratch HQ by the man who was apparently the leader of a Rib team full of criminals and no doubt was a criminal himself?

And who had saved him.

White-knuckling the blankets and wondering why he was so comforted by the scent of the leader of Scratch he sighed. He wanted to go home.

He wanted Ren.

Shifting he pulled one arm out of the blankets and tapped his coil, bringing up the time. It was well into the afternoon and he felt a flush of shame for sleeping so much when he was in such a dangerous situation, when Ren was no doubt out there looking for him in desperation.

Was he really in danger though?

Somehow he just had the feeling that the mysterious Rib leader wouldn't hurt him.

He didn't know how long he sat there just pondering his situation and staring at the minutes tick by when the door opened, admitting the large dark haired man. This time he was dressed in a long and fringed gunmetal grey coat, jeans, a black shirt and a pink headband. Aoba was eyeing the multi-coloured bracelet on one wrist when the nameless cockatoo took flight over his head and landed easily on the man's broad shoulder.

They eyed each other for a moment with a tenseness that made his toes curl before the man stepped deeper into the room and walked over to the closet. He pulled out a pair of boots and a brown fur-collared long coat and tossed them both his way.

"Put those on and follow me." He grunted.

When Aoba made no move toward them, the stranger uttered a soft 'Tch' beneath his breath and walked away in long imposing strides.

"Ah-hey, wait!" Aoba gasped.

He pulled on the boots and coat quickly, nearly stumbling over how large the shoes were on him and clumsily ran after. The action only served to make his legs throb and Aoba had no doubt that it was from overexerting himself the night before. Still he managed to catch up somehow, practically tripping over himself in order to do so and eyed the man as he cameto walk beside him.

"If...you don't mind my asking, what's your name?" He intoned softly, gaze leerily set on the hulking figure beside him.

Cold blue eyes turned to stare down at him and Aoba blinked, startled.

Hadn't they been gold before?

"...Mink." Said the dreadlocked man before he looked away, seeming to dismiss him.

"...Ah." Aoba mumbled, not quite understanding why he felt so awkward.

He forced a light smile. "My names Aoba."

"Mn."

"So uhm…" The young man averted his gaze to the one bare arm, watching it swing back and forth.

Red lines still marred it but they weren't nearly as bad as they were before. Aoba supposed that being a werewolf must have its perks, speedy healing being one of them. He remembered the month it took for him to heal his concussion, his face and felt a hint of jealousy.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

This time he didn't even get a grunt. They turned into another hallway and then into another room. It was grimy, the ceiling half gone and the floor covered liberally with Scratch's flamboyant tag art. There was a couch in one corner and a bed in the other while boxes, litter, tarps and barrels served as decoration. The windows were boarded but dusty sunlight swathed in through the ruined roof, casting shadows of beams across them.

A sizeable crowd was there already and Aoba couldn't help but swallow nervously for some reason as he glanced about. Mink walked over to the couch, the men parting for him gladly and after a pause Aoba followed him for lack of anything better to do.

He watched as the dreadlocked man withdrew a slender pipe from his pocket along with a leather pouch, preparing the the slender item with what looked like tobacco. He lit it after pocketing the pouch and slipping out a lighter, not seeming to mind Aoba's silence or the soft chattering of his members in the background.

He puffed at it for a moment, quiet.

Eventually his eyes found Aoba's and he pulled the slim stick from his lips, gestured with the pipe to the group of men.

"Order them to kneel."

Aoba's eyes widened, jaw dropping slightly. That sounded absolutely absurd, why would he do something like that?

Why would these escaped convicts even listen to him?

"Wh-What?" He stammered in bewilderment.

"Hmmm." The large man took another drag on his pipe.

He looked vaguely frustrated, as much as he ever looked anything aside from stern and cold. Aoba felt a queer shiver of guilt rush down his spine, uncomfortably shifted the coat he wore higher on his shoulders from where it was slipping off, fidgeting.

Why did he feel as though he had just disappointed Mink? Moreoever, why did he care?

Mink waved to a group of men huddled in a corner and they shifted, dragging forward a man with blond hair. Aoba felt another shudder run through him, this time of disgust as he took in what could only be the face of a corpse as it was bashed in to the skull.

"This man was punished because he tried to enter the room you were sleeping in." Mink explained in a low tone. "He was hypnotized by your voice. Do you understand now? I want you to use the voice you use on customers at your store and order my men to kneel."

The voice he used on his customers?

It was true that he drew in customers very often with his voice. It was a bit of a revelation when Haga-san had complained to him that sales had dropped when he'd been out of commission for those few weeks. It was frustrating and annoying that so many people seemed to be attracted to his voice to creepy douche-like levels but it was life.

But could he really use that voice and manipulate these men? They, frankly, looked skeptical and he was too.

"Do it."

Mink's command lodged deep in his gut and Aoba remembered their brief interaction that morning when the man had ordered him to sleep. He'd been left with no choice but to oblige and had faded off into what had admittedly been one of the better slumbers he'd had lately. Narrowing his gaze, Aoba winced as he felt a tell-tale pulse behind his eyes. The migraine would be on top of him soon, he could tell. He needed his medication.

He'd do it, fail, and then ask Mink what the hell that had been. This decided, Aoba turned to the gathered crowd and drew in breath.

Unbeknownst to him his irises beamed a sharp glimmering gold the moment his full mouth parted to speak, the whites of his teeth gleaming in the sun that wrapped a halo around his hair. He lifted a hand, long fingers beckoning toward the gathered men, and swiped it to the side.

"Kneel. All of you, kneel before us."

And then as one the group of men sank to their knees, their eyes bright and round in shock and awe. Aoba's mind ground to a stop.

Wait…

What?

That...wasn't supposed to work. What the hell, were they playing tricks on him? Agog he turned to Mink, who only gestured at them again.

"Tell them to stand."

Aoba did and they stood. A powerful shudder rolled through him and he swallowed deeply, slightly horrified. They were putting him on, there was no way that he could actually control people with his voice. Absolutely no way.

But, a nagging voice echoed in the back of his head, that wasn't true was it? He could make people do things, could make them buy things at his whim, could see into their hearts and pierce their weaknesses.

"Your voice is special." Mink voiced around his pipe, grinding the discovery deeper into him like salt into a wound. "And I need it. You'll be staying with me now."

"What?" Aoba gasped. "I-no! I'm going home! And what do you need my voice for anyway?"

Mink leveled a gaze sharper than glass on him, cutting him quick to the core.

"To kill Toue."

Aoba's eyes went round.

In the end he managed to bargain one more trip home to pack his things, find Ren and talk to his grandmother about what the hell was going on. Mink agreed under the condition that he go with him and still wearing Mink's boots and cinnamon smelling coat they departed. Blessedly, Ren was somehow outside waiting for him and he gaped at the sight before falling to his knees and picking the spitz up promptly, cuddling him to his chest. He couldn't believe the allmate had managed to track down his exact location the way he had but refused to look the gift horse in the mouth all the same.

"Ren! I'm so glad you're okay, thank goodness…!"

"I am glad as well." Aoba felt the tickle of a tongue against his cheek. "I was sure I had lost you and was very worried."

"Heh…" Guilt pressed into him again and he pulled back to nuzzle his forehead against Ren's.

"Thank you...I hope you'll keep putting up with me."

"Likewise."

The familiar ritual put a piece of his mind at rest but didn't help the headache beginning to pound in his ears. He needed to get home, get to his medication and talk to Granny as soon as he could. Wincing slightly as he stood he swallowed back nausea and found his eyes turning for some reason toward Mink, clutching Ren to his chest.

The man was watching him with an impenetrable gaze and Aoba felt a hot blush curl up around his ears.

"What?!" He hissed, shying back.

"Lets go." Mink finally looked away and started off, the nameless cockatoo perched upon his shoulder preening itself without a care.

Aoba blinked rapidly before shaking his head and hurrying after.

The alleyways they wound through were a long twisting maze and by the seventh turn he found he was thoroughly lost. What more he was rapidly losing sight of Mink, the too-big shoes combined with his migraine weakening his stamina thoroughly and slowing his pace to a slow trudge.

Eventually he did lose sight of the man and felt immediately frightened. He knew he had Ren now to navigate him if it came to that but for some reason, without Mink he felt vulnerable and small, instantly more lost than he was before.

It was absolutely bizarre and he didn't think he liked it at all.

Mink was waiting for him around the corner, dispelling his anxiety immediately. Aoba found that despite not knowing this man whatsoever he just wanted to sink into the taller's side, grasp his arm and never let go.

He didn't do it of course but he wanted to. Badly.

He clutched tighter to Ren instead, noting that the other seemed to be walking slower now. For his sake?

For some reason that made him kind of happy, if a bit embarrassed.

"Hey…" He said after a couple of minutes had passed, looking up at the dreadlocked man. "Last night you did something strange to me...what was it?"

The man gave him a long sideways glance before ignoring him. Aoba huffed, eyes narrowing in a glare.

"And just now in that room too! You told me to do something and I felt I had no choice but to comply! If you can control people with your voice then what the hell do you need me for?"

Mink stopped and finally turned toward him, his eyes penetrating Aoba deeply and making him tense up as a shiver rolled up his spine. Then, heavy footsteps were approaching him and the sky haired youth backed up quickly, found his back up against the wall in no time as he stared up at the brunet with round eyes.

"It will only ever work on you." The man hissed in a low dangerous tone, raising a hand to forcibly grasp his chin.

Even when it wasn't a paw the brunet's hand was massive, easily taking in his jaw. He grimaced as the large fingers squeezed down tight, gritting his teeth against them. Ren growled in his grip and began to squirm as Mink leaned in closer to stare him in the eye, intimately close-closer than anyone ever dared get to him.

"Wh-Why?' Gasped the smaller male, trepidation shining in his eyes. He was honestly sure he didn't want to know, the question slipping from his lips regardless in masochistic glory.

"Because," Mink growled, eyes beginning to shine a clear gold. "I am your alpha, and you are mine."

The distance closed between them rapidly and before Aoba could even draw breath there was a rough pressure on his mouth, pushing into him. The hand on his jaw forced his mouth open and he finally submitted with a whine, eyes drifting slowly shut as teeth bit into his lip, kneading and claiming him. A strange sensation pulled at his gut, the forceful kiss rapidly intoxicating him and leaving his head fuzzy. The scent of cinnamon wrapped him in a haze and instinctively he recognized this, yearning immediately for more.

Somehow, someway, it felt like coming home.

Aoba kissed back feverishly, one hand straying from the suddenly still Ren to wind about Mink's shoulders, displacing the nameless bird without a care and winding into the thick dreadlocks. They had a strange texture that he found he didn't mind so he twined his fingers through them as Mink's tongue pushed into his mouth. A shudder rolled through him, intense as thunder and he groaned, a sound that was promptly swallowed by the alpha's mouth.

After what seemed an eternity Mink pulled away, leaving Aoba's mouth flushed and swollen. With flushed cheeks he slumped against the wall, panting softly as he stared up at the man with foggy confusion.

What the hell had that been?

Aoba had had his fair share of kisses before, don't get him wrong. They had all been with the fairer sex in his rougher years, stinking of slick lipgloss, too soft and plush for comfort. None of them, not a single one had been that toe-curling intense and he was left wondering why.

His head gave a sudden throb and he hissed, clutching at it. Ren whined in worry and Mink watched him for a moment before stepping away entirely, the nameless allmate resettling on his shoulder apathetically. Face calm again and eyes blue, Mink spun on heel and headed off, seemingly confident that Aoba would follow after.

Aoba recovered for a few seconds, dazed and in pain against the wall then did just that, second-guessing himself furiously as his cheeks burned vividly.

By the time they got home Aoba felt like crumpling to the ground with the intensity of the migraine flashing behind his eyes. Every sound right down to his footsteps was torture and the sun stabbed his eyes viciously, forcing him to squint. Mink kept on shooting him looks and though no expression showed in his face Aoba could tell that he was somewhat concerned for some reason.

He gave the taller man a wan smile, wanting to reassure him for some reason. Mink snorted and looked away and Aoba sighed, averting his own gaze. His hand reached up to open the door, or tried to anyways as it was locked.

Aoba sighed and quietly knocked. He hadn't exactly had the chance to grab his keys the night before after all so it was left up to Granny to let him in unless he felt like scaling his home and going in through his still open veranda door. Needless to say, he didn't.

He only hoped the elderly woman was home.

Not a second later surely he heard the faint sound of stomping and grimaced, knowing he was in for it. He supposed he should be grateful that Tae was even there but all the same began to brace himself for what he knew was a good reaming, head giving a pang of apprehension.

The door was unlocked and jerked open with a bang, his grandmother's angry face peering up at him.

"Where in the world have you been?! You stupid boy you should be at work right now! Do you understand how worried you've made Haga-san?"

Oh.

Oh shit.

With everything that had happened he had completely forgotten he was supposed to go to work today. Oops. He couldn't say he cared too much at the moment however. He just wanted his medication. Wincing with the volume of the elderly woman's voice Aoba bit his lip and shut his eyes, trying to bear with it.

The rose haired woman blinked before frowning deeply and snorting, stepping to the side to allow them entry.

"Get your ass in here already! And take off those ridiculous shoes, you'll give yourself blisters. Honestly."

A sense of relief flowing through him Aoba stepped inside, grateful that the woman had let his disappearance go for now. Leaning against the wall he worked off the too large boots, glad to see the walk hadn't given him any blisters. Mink worked likewise behind him and in the time it took them to get their shoes off Granny was waiting in the kitchen with his medication and a glass of water.

His pain must have been obvious to her and he felt a flash of silliness for being so readable. Still, Aoba took them both thankfully, knocking back perhaps more pills than he should have, and sat down at the table with a sigh, pushing his forehead into the cool linen as he waited for the migraine to subside. Ren he kept steadfastly in his lap, not wanting to let his partner go just yet.

"Explain." Tae ordered as she sat at the head of the table and, peeling his forehead from the cool linen tablecloth, Aoba blinked at her then sighed.

It still felt like something out of a dream and Granny's incredulous expression as he spoke reluctantly wasn't anything reassuring. Eventually though her expression smoothed into something indistinguishable and she frowned down at the table.

"Granny…" Aoba paused in his tale and looked up, brows furrowed. His headache was beginning to settle, much to his relief, but there was still something pressing on his mind.

"Mink..." He glanced over to the man leaning against the wall then back at his grandmother. "he says that I can control people with my voice and I-Granny, I think that might be the case."

He sounded ridiculous. Biting his lip Aoba looked at the table then returned his eyes to the pink haired woman.

"Have you...do you know anything about that?"

Tae stared at him for a good minute before sighing and lowering her head. Aoba noticed that her expression was strangely resigned, as if she had expected this question for quite some time now.

"Aah. It's called Scrap."

Wait, what?

The conversation that followed was not what he had been expecting. Aoba listened, clutching to Ren with shaking hands as he soaked in a story more unbelievable than his own.

Granny had worked for Toue as one of his scientists in the subject of brain plasticity, trying to give consciousness back to unconscious minds.

He could blend his consciousness and entrance others through the power of his voice, explaining the sheer number of creeps that begged him to speak to them more and more over the phone at work.

And Toue was planning on controlling the populace via brainwashing lights and songs.

"At first he was interested in controlling the populace through fear and subjugation but later grew interested in brainwashing." Tae explained, her hands clenched in front of her on the table. "I had thought he had scrapped his original plans but evidently not."

It was all just too incredible to take in. He sat there, numb with disbelief.

Aoba stared then gave his head a shake. "What...were his original plans? Do you know?"

"I believe they were to control the people via some type of super soldier. He would make them fear for their lives and in so doing that, control them. Very inelegant. I had thought he had tossed the plan but if what you say is true then perhaps he kept it on as a back up plan of sorts."

Tae looked up at him through furrowed brows and continued.

"Aoba. I need you to understand how imperative it is that we defeat this man. This island will become his playground first and then he'll move onto the rest of Japan, perhaps even the world after if he isn't stopped. I was hoping it wouldn't have to be you and that you could go on living normally but it doesn't seem to be turning out that way." She sighed deeply, shoulders sagging as though the weight of the world was on them.

That was a laugh, considering what she expected him to do. Aoba felt a mad giggle well up in his throat and swallowed it back furiously, staring down at the table.

"Aoba...there's one more thing."

What else could there possibly be? Expression overwhelmed he glanced up through his bangs at the woman, asking her silently not to drop whatever bomb she was holding.

"You have a brother." Tae informed him, posture ramrod straight.

After that Tae made them a late lunch and called Haga-san, both for Aoba to apologize for missing work and to explain what was going on. Mink had migrated from the wall to the chair beside him, silent as though he was lost in thought, one hand slowly stroking the cockatoo's pink feathers.

"I'll close up shop early." Haga-san said and implored them to wait while he made his way over.

Aoba thanked him in a faint voice.

Everything seemed to be going so fast it was leaving him dizzy. Just the night before he'd been living normally and now here he was was, set on a path by his grandmother and Mink to somehow stop the singular most powerful man on the island with only his voice.

And he had a brother.

And then there was…

His eyes strayed to Mink, mind turning to the kiss in the alleyway. It had felt like breathing air for the first time of a life underwater and it thrilled but confused him at the same time.

What were these feelings? He didn't understand them one bit. He barely knew Mink but the electric chemistry between them, it was addictive. He didn't think he'd be able to leave the man after only knowing him for barely a day.

Mink was cold, expressionless and domineering. There was no way he could fall in love with such a man but all the same his heart cried out for him. He could already see their lives spanning out before him, together and somehow inseperable.

What the hell was this? It was as though Mink was his missing puzzle piece that he hadn't even noticed had been gone in the first place.

Haga-san arrived in a flurry, his glasses shining with worry. Aoba welcomed him in and led him to the kitchen where Tae prepared tea for the lot of them, coffee for Mink upon his soft request.

Bewildered and just a little frightened he called Koujaku on his coil and soon enough the soot haired barber was barreling down the door. To say the man was horrified and incensed upon discovering the leader of Scratch hanging out with them at the kitchen table was a mild understatement and soon enough they were retreating to Aoba's room, Koujaku leading him by the hand while Mink, Tae and Haga-san talked details.

Aoba tried to ignore the golden eyed glare they received and instead clutched at his friends hand, feeling small and afraid.

"Aoba, what the hell is going on?" Koujaku asked as soon as the door was shut behind them.

The scarred man's voice was gentle as if sensing his distress and Aoba sighed deeply, heading over to his bed and flopping down. He glanced over to the veranda door, noting the glass on the floor littering the area around it, and groaned. Ren jumped onto the bed and settled in close next to him, a comforting fluffy presence at his side.

"I explained to you on the phone didn't I?"

Koujaku snorted. "Sure you did. 'Koujaku'," His voice took on a nasally whine as if to imitate Aoba's tenor. "'Serious shits going down and I need to stop Toue. Please come over, bye'."

He gave Aoba the flattest of looks before grunting as a pillow smacked into his face.

"I do not sound like that!" Aoba hissed, a glare sparkling in his eyes.

Beni chortled and fluffed his feathers, preening them while Koujaku caught the pillow as it dropped and smirked at Aoba.

"Sure you don't." Then he frowned, concern glinting in his one visible eye. "But seriously Aoba, what happened? Your room…" He looked around, gaze inevitably straying to the claw marks gouging the wood floors as he walked over to the bed, sitting on on the edge closest to Aoba. "Its a mess! More of one than usual anyways…"

"Oh shut up. Hippo."

Aoba sighed mightily, curling into a ball against the headboard and gathering the somehow comforting coat close even though the room was warm. Head drooping to his knees the young man gathered his thoughts for a moment before gesturing aimlessly.

"I guess Toue is planning on taking over the island for good." He said and relayed what Granny had told him.

Koujaku listened to him keenly, gaze sharp as the blade on his back. He interjected every now and again with a soft question but listened mostly in silence. As Aoba regailed him with the tale of what had happened the night previous his visible eye widened, shock and disbelief written all over his face.

Aoba only had to point at the deep gouges in his floor and his ruined door for the man to believe him though. Koujaku's gaze took them in before listing to the scars marring Aoba's one cheek, narrowing slightly.

"And what about him?" Koujaku asked, making Aoba blink.

"Him? Who?" He asked obliviously.

"The leader of Scratch, what is he doing here?" Koujaku frowned deeply, not missing the way that Aoba's fingers clutched tighter into the coat he still wore despite the relative warmth of the room.

The sky haired youth flushed deeply and averted his gaze, panicking slightly. Should he tell Koujaku that Mink was a werewolf, a monster disguised in flesh and bone? Koujaku was looking at him with an expression that denoted he didn't expect the full truth anyways and that only made him blush harder, feeling somehow as though he was about to let the long haired man down.

"W-Well, that is…" Eventually he sighed. "He saved me. Last night from the werewolf, he rescued me. And..."

Did he detail the kiss in the alleyway? No way, that would only make Koujaku's protective instincts flare up even more, proving things more difficult in the long run.

"He says he needs my voice. To defeat Toue. I guess he's going to be coming with me. Us." Aoba stuttered haltingly, wincing at himself in disgust.

"Aoba…" Koujaku sighed and shifted to sit closer to him, reaching out to settle a hand upon one thigh. "You realize that he's just trying to use you right? Get you indebted to him so he can make you do this for him."

Koujaku's voice was soft but stern, his red eye gleaming with visible suspicion. "He's a dangerous man in charge of dangerous people and you shouldn't be anywhere near him."

Aoba stared up at Koujaku, an odd frown on his face. Mink...was manipulating him?

His memory flashed back to the alleyway again and to the sight of those possessive golden eyes peering into his very soul. No, Aoba decided. That wasn't right.

Whatever they had between them, strange as it was, was in fact genuine. He could sense it, knew it to be true deep in his gut.

Mink wouldn't do that to him. He wouldn't hurt him that way.

"No, you don't understand. He wouldn't do that to me, he wouldn't hurt me like that." He repeated his thoughts to Koujaku, expression somewhat confused at his own insistence.

He knew where his good friend was coming from. Scratch was filled to the brim with murderers, rapists, the lowest of the low and Mink was in charge of all that so there was no way that Koujaku wouldn't be wary.

Aoba frankly didn't understand why he wasn't.

"How do you know that? Can't you see that he's manipulating you? Aoba." Koujaku said with a serious expression. "You gotta stay away from him. Look, I can help you take down Toue, you don't need him."

"Yes I do!" Aoba shouted in an outburst that surprised the both of them. He blinked and leaned back again, stunned at himself.

Then his eyes shut and he curled in on himself deeper, one hand running across his sensitive hair.

"I'm sorry Koujaku...I don't know whats going on, it's all happening so fast…"

Koujaku eyed him for a moment before giving a soft, if confused smile. His hand clenched on Aoba's leg, filling him with a sense of comfort that oddly enough wasn't as strong as the comfort provided by the coat he was wrapped in.

"Hey don't worry about it. But I'm still coming with you. After all, I gotta take care of you, right?"

"Koujaku…" Aoba murmured, staring at the older man before giving him a helpless grin. "My hero."

They spoke some more while Koujaku updated the Beni-Shigure via text. They eventually slipped out of the room to find Tae, Haga-san and Mink still at the table, huddled around a map of Midorijima. Notes floated on screens above it, seemng to point out various entries into Platinum Jail which Toue never left.

Likewise news articles were spread out over the table, and from what he could see they detailed various missing people and murders that Aoba hadn't even been aware of. Were they connected?

"Morphine's work." Mink uttered in a low voice as he approached and Aoba blinked in surprise.

Morphine, the fairy tale Rib group? Thats right, Mizuki was beginning to talk more and more about them and when Aoba looked over to Koujaku he saw the flash of recognition ignite in the man's vivid red eye.

"I didn't think they were real…" Aoba muttered as he sat down next to Mink, missing the unreadable look that passed through Koujaku's face as he leaned in close to look over the various screens hovering above the map.

"Ah." Mink confirmed, shooting a glance at Koujaku over Aoba's head.

His hand lifted and settled between Aoba's shoulder blades before dismissing the man with his eyes and looking back to the various screens they had up. The hairdresser's eyes narrowed sharply, a scowl settling firmly across his handsome features which Aoba completely missed.

There were many entrances into Platinum Jail but their best bet was an old workers tunnel in the Northern district. Haga-san said he would lead them to the old s the following day as not even Mink, though he had heard of it he confirmed. wasn't one hundred percent certain where it was. They all, sans Tae who would be staying home, agreed to meet at the entry to the Northern district the next day.

Koujaku followed him back up to his room, trailed this time by Mink as well, and started in surprise as Aoba withdrew a bag from his closet and began to pack a set of clothes for the next day. Aoba wondered if he had been planning on spending the night as he was wont to do and felt a prickle of guilt stab at him.

"You're leaving?"

"Uh…" Aoba paused, looking over to his best friend.

He gave the taller man a smile and shrugged, standing from the bag. "Just for the night. I, uh, Mink invited me to stay while the door to my veranda is broken."

A lie. He was lying to Koujaku, his childhood friend, and he knew exactly why. He couldn't tell the older man that Mink had practically ordered him to stay with him at the Scratch HQ. That would just lead to problems.

The dark haired man frowned quizzically, not buying it. "Well why don't you come to stay at my place then?"

"And get in the way of the ladies you take home? I don't think so, hippo." Aoba snarked, hands on his hips.

He pointed at the door. "Now I need both of you to get out of me room so I can change."

Koujaku blinked at the sudden turn in conversation and looked at him as though he was seeing the stains that littered his clothes for the first time. Oddly enough he seemed to blush before nodding and turning to leave the room with long strides. As he left his eyes fell upon Mink and narrowed in silent threat.

Mink didn't even bother returning the gaze.

Instead the man gave him a long predatory gaze that made Aoba's toes curl. He swallowed then narrowed his gaze, gesturing again at the door.

Mink grunted and finally left.

Aoba sighed in the silence of his room, relieved he had managed to get both men to leave, and looked down at himself with a hint of dismay. His jeans were ruined, his socks were dirty and he'd even somehow gotten oil on his favourite sweater. A pity, he thought as he stripped completely, throwing the ruined clothing into the garbage in the corner. He'd really, really liked that outfit.

He changed and slipped into the bathroom down the hall, grabbing his toothpaste, toothbrush and other hygiene essentials. Carefully he ran a brush through his thick, nerve-ridden hair then packed that as well and sighed again, unable to stop himself.

What in the hell was happening?

"You're thinking too hard."

"Hm?" Aoba blinked and turned to look at Ren who stared up at him with dark dark eyes.

When had the allmate followed him? Wait, why wouldn't his partner follow him? Confused at his own obliviousness Aoba eyed the Japanese spitz before giving him a faint smile.

"Oh, sorry...its just, with everything that's happening, its a bit overwhelming you know?"

He turned and bent over to pick Ren up, cuddling him close. They stayed that way for a minute in silence, Aoba's face buried in the allmate's thick blue fur, when finally he spoke up.

"Ren...last night, when we were talking, I didn't want to push it but I know you were lying to me." Which was just flat out strange. Were allmates supposed to be able to do that? Perhaps he should check on Ren soon. "What happened that night, Ren? The night I got the scars on my face."

The dog allmate was silent for a moment before speaking, his deep voice a familiar comfort.

"I did not intend on lying to you, Aoba. I really did believe that my data had been damaged. There was no other explanation that I could conceive of but after last night what is left is the possibility that it was in fact truth. You were attacked by the white werewolf the night you went looking for your grandmother, and Mink-san fought it off."

He still couldn't remember but as Ren explained a positive feeling settled over him, as if confirming suspicions he'd silently been harbouring since the night before.

"So he's saved me twice then…" Aoba muttered, feeling a little absurd before gazing back to the mirror.

Tracing the scars on his cheek with an absent hand he stared at himself. He didn't like the scars in spite of Koujaku's insistence that they made him look 'very cool' but knowing that it could have been so much worse now left him feeling oddly grateful for them.

And Mink.

The odd instinctual feeling in his gut only solidified and he nodded to his reflection before picking up his bag with one hand, the other cradling Ren close, and left the bathroom on silent feet.

"Aoba." Granny met him at the bottom of the stairs, looking to the bag wrapped under his arm.

Her shoulders sagged lightly and she breathed a sigh.

"So you are leaving now." She uttered, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

"Just for now Granny…" Aoba murmured and gave her a small confused smile. "I'll come back, honest."

The woman nodded to herself, as if to say 'of course you will' before leveling a stern gaze upon him. For a moment or two they simply looked at each other until finally Tae broke the tension between them by walking forward and setting a hand upon Aoba's shoulder, the other locked behind her back.

"Be careful, stupid grandson."

Aoba nodded slowly and slipped passed her into the foyer where Mink and Koujaku both were waiting for him. The pair seemed to be having a silent battle of wills and Aoba grimaced somewhat at the sight before sighing and slipping on his own pair of boots. Granny was standing behind them in the hall, watching with worry and hesitation shining through her familiar blue eyes so Aoba gave her an uncustomary kiss on the cheek before he left.

Koujaku walked with them awhile, silent. Before departing he insisted that Aoba call him should anything, 'Anything at all' happen.

Aoba had agreed of course. After all he doubted that anything that he'd need to call Koujaku about would occur whatsoever.

He was partially correct.

He and Mink walked in silence, Mink's presence a looming one in front of him that filled Aoba with an ominous sensation. They got back to the Northern District in short order and once again navigated the stunningly intricate back alleys back to the hovel that was Scrathc HQ.

The minute they were safely alone in Mink's room the man grabbed the back of his neck and jerked him into another fierce kiss, ignoring the nameless bird as it fluttered over to sit on a corner of the wardrobe. Aoba grunted in surprise as their teeth clinked together, uttered a gasp of pain that was swiftly swallowed as a large hand wound into his sensitive hair and pulled back his head to reveal his throat. He shuddered, biting back a mewl as long teeth bit into his adams apple and reached up to ensnare Mink's shoulders with one arm. The other hand reached up to pull at the hand in jerking his hair.

"Tha-...hurts!" He gasped. "Let go…!"

He was released with a swiftness that stunned him, the man's thick arm instead curling around his waist and drawing him up onto his tip toes. All the while the mouth on his throat suckled and bit and Aoba knew with embarrassment that he would definitely have a hickie for tomorrow.

"Mine." The wolfman growled into his throat, only pulling back once he was satisfied.

He stared down at Aoba for a good long moment before seeming to make up his mind about something and forcibly leading him over to the cot in the corner of the room. "Come. I'm going to punish you."

...What?

"Wait, what!? Why?!" Aoba cried plaintively, immediately beginning to struggle in the strong grip.

He was hauled straight off his feet, leaving them to kick at the air furiously. Punishment, he thought, quailing slightly. What the hell had he done to deserve punishment?

Sharp golden eyes peered mercilessly into his own.

"You've been stringing that man along, allowing him to touch you and love you without reciprocation. Moreover no one is allowed to touch you except for me. You are mine only. Therefore I shall punish you."

Stringing along? Koujaku? No way, Koujaku didn't feel that way about him, it was impossible. They were only friends, right? Great friends but friends all the same! Aoba desperately tried to explain this but Mink only snorted as he sat upon the bed, smoothing him over his lap as though he were a wrinkled sheet of paper.

"Tch. I can smell his infatuation for you, don't pretend you don't know."

Mink's voice still held the same heady snarl that made Aoba's heart pound in his chest and he struggled hard, recognizing the position in spite of his shoddy memories from his childhood and adolescence.

He was about to get a spanking. The thought burned in him as he was pinned by one large hand in the line of his shoulders, the other jerking down his jeans to reveal his underwear. Aoba whimpered in shame, red beginning to flush his pale cheeks.

"No, stop…!" He gasped and promptly yelped as a hard swat landed against his backside.

Damnit that had hurt! He whined and struggled harder, kicking at the sheets and reaching back to cover his backside with a hand. It was quickly grasped and pinned to the small of his back leaving him to squirm like a worm on the larger man's lap. He gasped as the large paw came down on him again, and again and again, smacking his bottom until it no doubt glowed a bright cherry red beneath his underwear.

The hand on his backside alternated between his ass and his thighs, focusing most of his attention on the former but eventually beginning to alternate between his thighs and the area directly beneath the swell of his behind. Those ones hurt the most and soon Aoba's world had dissolved into one of constant pain and humiliation.

It didn't seem like it would stop anytime soon.

Pretty soon Aoba couldn't take it anymore. He buried his face in the sheets, grasping at them with his one free hand while his other strained and flexed, buried in Mink's grip. Rapidly he started to whimper, then sob and, trembling with the force of his cries, gave in.

"Alright! Alright! I knew okay?!" He yelled, voice echoing off the walls.

The hand on his backside paused and landed gently, still enough of a pressure to make his aching ass twitch.

"I just-" Aoba whimpered into the blankets, his voice wet and muffled. He lay in Mink's grip, shivering hard. "I didn't want to believe it. He's just a friend to me, my best friend, so I pretended it wasn't the case and-and I'm so-r-r-r-y!"

Keening, the sky haired youth shook as his hand was finally released. Mink manipulated his body slowly, surprisingly tenderly until he was sitting upright in his lap. Then he drew him into a firm hug that smelled of comfort and alpha and home. Aoba sobbed hard into the wolfman's shoulder, reaching up to cling to him in the same way he would cling to his grandmother when he was young.

"I'm sorry…!" He whispered over and over beneath his breath while Mink stroked his back with care.

The brunet turned his face into his hair, sending a strange thrill through Aoba that made him hiccup softly.

"I understand. You did well to reveal your true feelings to me. I am proud." A kiss was pressed against his ear, making Aoba gasp softly as his cries began to die down. "Good boy."

They slept in the same bed that night, Mink curled up against his back to protect him from the cold and Ren a ball of fluff by their feet. The allmate had been understandably distressed at watching his master be punished but hadn't attempted to stop it, understanding the necessity for such a thing. The next morning Aoba called Koujaku while Mink went to prepare breakfast and apologized thoroughly, ashamed of his behaviour.

Koujaku was confused at first but as the conversation went on and he understood what Aoba was getting at he flushed brightly. Their conversation became stuttered with awkwardness but all the same Aoba made himself understood.

He couldn't be that way with his good childhood friend. The man was like a big brother to him, a hero who he looked up to and the ease with which a non-platonic relationship could screw that up was too much to bear.

Besides, he was with Mink now. There had been no words to explicitly explain what was going on but Aoba didn't need them. He belonged to Mink and Mink belonged to him, that was all he knew.

Meeting up with Koujaku and the entirety of Beni-Shigure was awkward with Scratch behind them, especially with the conversation they'd just had still fresh on their minds. Aoba supposed his timing may not have been the best considering what they were doing today but he had faith that they would be able to keep their head in the game.

Or he hoped they'd be able to anyway.

Aoba glanced at one of the large duffel bags one of the Scratch members held, an indescribable feeling stirring in his gut. He knew what they held.

Guns, ammo, C-4. Scratch intended on making a bang and Aoba didn't know how exactly he felt about that. Back at the compound Mink had offered him a gun, a shiny black glock that Aoba could barely tell head or tail from.

He didn't want to use it. He'd said as much as well but Mink had forced him to strap on the holster beneath his (well, Mink's but still) jacket nonetheless, insisting on the 'just in case' scenario before teaching him how to use it.

It felt heavy underneath his arm, a solid weight of discomfort strapped to his chest. Ren was a familiar one though, held in his own duffel against his hip.

Beni-Shigure didn't exactly seem thrilled to be working with Scratch and Koujaku likewise seemed chafed at the thought of working in proximity with Mink, who didn't look like he could care less. Haga-san met them within minutes of their arrival, his typically happy demeanor rather serious.

They were lead through the streets of the Northern district in somber silence, the full weight of what they were about to do weighing firmly on their shoulders. They were about to become assassins, terrorists and Aoba doubted any of them were happy for it.

However it was for the best. They couldn't allow Toue's machinations to continue.

They got to the tunnel within fifteen minutes and that was where Haga-san left them, pressing a homemade stun gun into Aoba's hands and wishing him luck before brusquely walking off. The blue haired man watched as he disappeared into the distance and looked down at the stun gun, deciding he liked this one quite a bit more than the damned pistol strapped to his chest.

The group picked their way through the debris before the tunnel and Aoba pushed open the door, wincing as it gave a loud rusty screech. They walked down the decaying stairs and their pace turned to a sprint upon hitting the bottom.

Aoba knew he was a fairly fast runner, his slim size giving him agility but all the same he had problems keeping up with Mink who raced ahead easily on long powerful legs. It shouldn't surprise him and it didn't but it did annoy him slightly that the older man didn't wait up for them.

When they reached the end of the tunnel Aoba's legs and lungs both were burning from the exertion and he sucked in breath, doubling over his knees to recover for a moment. The men behind him were in similar condition, desperately gasping in air after what must have been at least forty minutes of running at top speed.

Eventually every single one of their eyes turned toward the gate they had stopped in front of. It was a pristine sparkling white, standing out queerly in the otherwise filthy grey tunnel.

This was it.

They traded looks of trepidation and Aoba swallowed tight before furrowing his brow and stepping forward. His palm hit the metal of the gate, pushing the creaking thing slowly open.

The world exploded in a riot of white light.

Firecrackers exploded on either side of them, trumpets sounding brightly. A tacky panda stood in front of them, gesturing wildly.

"Welcome! This is the world's greatest place for love, dreams and amusement to take all those worries away, Platinum Jail!" It exclaimed in a high nasally tone.

Aoba winced, looking around the hall with alarm. It was tall and white, pillars holding up the ceiling with windows on either side. At the end were five equally white doors, no doubt the entry way to Platinum Jail.

The panda went on about how this was the 'Upper paradise where only the chosen were let in' and the sky haired youth turned to Mink with a look of panic striking his features.

"What do we do?!" He hissed as the panda pushed a button on the wall, causing a massive screen to pop up toward the ceiling. "We don't have an invitation or money, we can't get in!"

Mink uttered a soft growl beneath his breath, eyes flashing gold and next to them Koujaku drew his sword, as if expecting a fight. Then the brunet's clear gaze turned to him and he nodded to the panda with a scowl.

"Do it."

Aoba blinked in confusion before it clicked and he grimaced, lowering his eyes. He didn't want to, he hated the thought of manipulating people. It honestly left him with a sick feeling in his gut, the knowledge that he could do such a thing with the mere power of his voice.

He had to though. To get to Toue.

To get to his brother.

Determination lighting his eyes he looked up slowly, irises fading to a fantastic gold. Koujaku jerked at the sight of them, his own eye turning wide.

Swallowing a deep breath and ignoring the pounding that began to ache in his head he locked eyes with the panda who was by now staring at them with confusion.

"You will let us into Platinum Jail." He enunciated carefully, gaze narrowing. "Immediately."

The panda seemed to give a great shudder before slowly nodding with a stammered confirmation and walking over to one of the doors. Its coil passed over the lock and the door clicked open.

Aoba blinked and his eyes lost their golden shimmer. Gritting his teeth against mild nausea he instead raced forward and in through the door, the sound of rushing footsteps following after him.

"Ren." The allmate's head instantly poked through the hole in the zipper. "Navigate us to Oval Tower please. The quickest route if you could."

"Understood."

Screens instantly popped up before the allmates face and Aoba watched as he navigated through them with quick intensity. Soon enough they were pushing their way through the crowd of people, walking fast. The door they had come through had led them to an area just as, if not more ostentatious than the entrance passed the tunnel. Glimmering apartments and businesses stood on either side of the slick reflective street, large screens decorating either side with advertisements. The sky glimmered with stars he had never seen before and Aoba figured the rumors of Platinum Jail being set perpetually to night time were true.

In the distance sat their target.

Oval Tower shone like a beacon of wealth, glimmering a blue-white light as it lit up the backdrop. Aoba's eyes narrowed as he thought to the C-4 sitting in the Scratch members bags.

It would all come tumbling down soon enough. Somehow the thought of the imminent destruction filled him with a perverse sense of pleasure, making him smirk grimly.

"So." Koujaku grunted on his right side, eyeing Mink who walked slightly ahead of them. "Whats the exact plan again?"

This caused some of the Scratch members to titter lightly, sneering at the barber. Aoba swallowed dryly, fingers clenching the strap of the bag.

"We get in, kill him, get out, blow the place up." The sentence left his mouth dry as a cotton field, his impending role of Toue's demise finally catching up to him.

After this he would be a terrorist.

For some reason he didn't feel as bad as he should have.

The headache was still pulsing behind his eyes and giving into it he turned into his bag. Groping around Ren for his medication with tightly shut eyes he flinched when a hand settled over his own in a tight grip. His eyes slammed open and he looked up in surprise, gaze finding Mink's solid blue hovering above him.

"I won't have a junkie for a mate."

"Mate…?" Aoba breathed.

So that was the word for them. He felt a hot blush rise to his cheeks and nodded slowly, releasing the bottle of medication with a shaking grip.

Mate. It was animalistic and beastial but for them it felt right on the money and Aoba felt satisfaction well up within him. Yes, that was it his instincts acknowledge with a roar of happiness.

They were mates. That was all there was to it.

Mink nodded and released his hand before beginning to walk again. Aoba followed quickly after, completely unaware of the look of anger shrouding his best friends face.

"Bastard…" Koujaku hissed, fingers clenching into shaking fists.

They got to the tower in short order and for a moment Aoba paused, glancing around at the people milling about the entryway before carefully putting Ren to sleep and pushing him into his bag.

Then, with Mink's nod of approval he walked up to the guards blocking the entry way. They immediately turned their attention to him, scowling at his unfamiliar figure.

He didn't give them a chance to dismiss them, instantly bading them to let them through in his powerful voice, to likewise forget that they had ever come. With grim satisfaction he watched as they stutteringly agreed and, upon watching one of the guards open the door with a card he took that too then walked inside.

He promptly sagged as dizziness and pain overcame him, pressing a hand to his head. Koujaku was at his side in an instant, holding him up as he groaned.

"Aoba! Are you okay?" He cried, worry evident in his face and tone.

"F-Fine." The hazel eyed man gasped before blinking and shifting carefully out of Koujaku's grip and giving him a light, pained smile. "I'll be fine. Let's go okay?"

Pushing away and ignoring his friend's look of pained confusion he turned on heel and, upon hearing the familiar ding of an elevator at the end of the hall, began to walk toward it with Mink's presence a steady one beside him. There was a voice beginning to whisper in the back of his head, a familiar one that urged him to do something that he couldn't quite yet hear.

Aoba grit his teeth and bore with it. He would talk to his alpha about it later.

The sky haired man grumbled at the sight of another two guards standing at. He couldn't keep using Scrap recklessly like this, not with the way his head was pulsating and pounding.

Unfortunately for them the two guards noticed them immediately and shouted in alarm.

"Stop! Intrud-grk!" One of Scratch charged forward and landed a solid blow to the guard's jaw.

Aoba likewise charged, spinning on his heel and sinking a roundhouse kick into the second's jaw. Grabbing the stun gun from his pocket he ducked forward as the guard caught himself and pushed his shoulder into the man's stomach, jerking the gun into his gut and squeezing the trigger.

The man went down with a cry and Aoba tried not to feel sick with pleasure as he convulsed. Koujaku raced forward and began to mash the elevator button. They would go to the top floor, as had been previously decided because where else would Toue be, honestly?

The man would need an entire floor to himself to house his ego.

More guards were coming round the corner, alerted by the cries of their brethren and Aoba grunted in dismay, getting ready to fight again when a strong arm grabbed his waist and hauled him into the elevator the moment it opened instead.

"But Scratch and Beni-Shigure?" Aoba knew who it was immediately, peered into Mink's eyes with worry arching his brows.

"They'll be fine. We stick to the plan." Mink grunted as Koujaku slipped into the elevator just before the doors slid shut.

Aoba nodded carefully and closed his eyes, turning to bury his nose in Mink's shoulder to breathe in the other's warm cloying scent. It helped calm his head, somewhat, but the whispering was persistent and the ache intense. He ground his teeth, wincing slightly as one large hand slipped into his hair. It felt strange, allowing someone else to touch it. Not even Koujaku was allowed after all.

Still when Mink touched it, it didn't feel too bad. Calming even. He muttered a sigh and let himself slip into the rhythm much as he did his music, closing his eyes, completely unaware of the staring contest Koujaku was trying to initiate with Mink over his head.

Finally after a small eternity the elevator dinged. Aoba could only feel relief that they hadn't been overridden during the ride up and turned away from his mate's shoulder. What he saw when the doors opened though made him choke.

Doberman allmates, at least fifty lined the hallway before them. Koujaku snarled and readied his sword promptly but as one the allmates began to whirr. Their faces peeled back in a grotesque display of pink flesh and teeth, revealing the mouths of guns and Aoba's eyes turned round in fear.

The voice in his head only grew louder at the sight.

'Destroy' it whispered to him. 'I want to...destroy...everything...'

Koujaku spun with a roar, lopping off the head of the doberman closest to them with his massive sword.

"Run! Aoba!" He cried and Aoba managed to only return a 'But-!' before he was lifted solidly into Mink's arms and the man dashed off.

"No!" He began to struggle immediately, peering over Mink's wide shoulder as a lightshow of lasers filled the area behind them. "Koujaku!"

"Let him do this." Mink grunted to him before glancing back as the sounds of claws tapping floor began to hurry after them. He narrowed his eyes and ran faster, dodging beam after beam of dangerous red light that came their way.

Aoba yelped as one grazed his leg, throwing his head back and arching in pain as he clutched tighter to Mink's coat. The man blinked in shock before a look of rage took over his face. He snarled deeply and spun.

It happened rapidly. Fur broke through Mink's tanned flesh and the sound of ripping clothes filled Aoba's ears as the man's width and height expanded violently. By the time he'd completed his turn a massive wolfbeast stood in his place, letting loose a howl.

The dobermans had zero time to react when he lunged, massive hind paws ripping them open one by one. Aoba clung to the monster's broad shoulders, his heart pounding in his ears as he watched. Saliva filled his mouth and he swallowed it back as he bore witness to his mate's brute strength.

Yes, he thought, this was a good mate, one who would protect him and eventually perhaps even their children. He barely caught the thought as it passed through his head and he wondered when his thinking patterns had grown so strange.

His loins stirred with the thought nonetheless and the voice in his head purred in delight.

How utterly bizarre.

They walked away from the skirmish successful but wounded, Mink limping along as his wounds began to closed slowly. Aoba didn't have that good fortune, the burn on his leg sizzling madly as the flesh continued to cook with the heat of itself. It hurt, a lot, and between that and the pain of his head he felt he was in a rather sorry state.

Mink continued to carry him and they came to a door. Aoba was allowed to shift slightly, bringing the card he had stolen from the outside guard to the reader.

It didn't work.

"Shit." He hissed and the wolf growled softly before backing up slowly.

Its shoulder rammed into the door a second later, his charge powerful enough to send the thick sliding door cracking off its frame. It wasn't enough though and he reared back and charged again.

After the third try they were thrown through, Mink barely catching them before they hit the stairs. Stairs which they were racing up swiftly, the wolf's powerful legs carrying them well in spite of the burns which littered them.

They came to a hall and walked for a couple of minutes, turning down a corridor to find a large set of double doors at the end. A pause and Aoba and the wolfbeast eyed eachother in silent instinctual communication.

Mink stalked forward and the doors opened on their own with a soft 'shick'.

The room they entered into was more like a mid-sized hall, huge windows lining either side of it. The floors were a polished, shining white which Aoba could see their reflection in, he noted in mild disgust. At the end of the hall was a desk and a couch atop a shallow dais and there was Toue.

Two masked guards stood behind him, waiting patiently.

The man sat behind his desk, a smug smile curling his thin lips. He stood slowly and brought his gloved hands together in a soft clap.

"Well it looks like you've made it after all. I have to say, I am impressed." Then he took a cane from the corner of his desk, meandering out from behind it without an apparent care in the world.

Aoba narrowed his eyes, irritation pulling through him and causing the voice in the back of his mind to speak louder with a pulse of pain. This motherfucker...how arrogant could he seriously be? He had no idea how Granny had manged to work for him, he would have figured she would grow sick of him instantly upon seeing him.

"I was waiting for you Mink-kun and you as well Aoba-kun though I didn't expect you to come this early…"

More guards began to filter into the room, silent as shadows. Aoba swallowed and glanced around them, a bad feeling begin to curl in his gut.

That Toue knew their names in spite of the fact that they'd never met before gave him the heebie jeebies. He turned a glare to the man, clutching tighter to Mink.

"How do you know who we are…?"

"I have been watching your movements." The sharply dressed man glibly replied. "In fact, I have been watching Mink-kun since he escaped from jail and you Aoba-kun, I have been following you for some time now. Might I say that it is a pleasure to see you alive and well? You were not in such an admirable state when I saw you last."

Wait…

What?

He supposed that information fit with the fact that Granny used to work for Toue but the fact that the man knew him, or used to know him gave him just as much of the creeps as the fact that the man had been watching him. Watching them.

However that was not the most startling bit of information.

He had been...dead?

Above him, a growl was rumbling out of Mink's chest and Aoba looked up, flinching when he saw the rage written across the wolf beast's face.

"Mink-kun." Toue sighed, looking at the hulking beast as an expression that looked like an apology swept across his face. "For using your people as the victims of my research I would like to apologize. I would have done so earlier but alas did not have the opportunity. I am truly sorry."

The apology only seemed to fan the flames and the rumbling snarl grew louder.

"It was for research purposes. Your family had such rare abilities kept to themselves, the ability to shift form at will. "

So that meant…

If possible Aoba's dislike of the man only seemed to grow.

The man continued to monologue and Aoba was slowly released onto his own two feet. He swayed immediately, shifting onto his good leg as he clutched at his head, glaring at Toue passed a wince. Mink began to advance upon him, his movements decisive and swift.

The guards flocked around him at once, encircling him. Toue frowned slightly before smiling serenely.

"I had some trouble you see. I could only manipulate the ability to transform with the cycles of the moon, to the point that the ability to transform was only truly effective on the full moon."

His smile grew wider.

"Blessedly we had just finished solving that small kink this morning."

The shriek of ripping clothes filled the air. Mink appeared to be startled, swinging about as the wide swathe of guards transformed with loud, threatening howls. Each one of them was white as the moon and Aoba swallowed as a flashback overcame him, absently touching the scars on his face.

Simultaneously the lot of them rushed forward. Mink roared and batted them away with his powerful paws and immediately the sound of vicious fighting echoed in his ears. Oddly enough the sight filled him with a perverse sensation of delight and he swallowed down the grin fighting to break through on his face as he watched the bloodshed.

What in God's name was wrong with him?

"Aoba-kun."

Rapidly he spun away from the fight and narrowed his eyes upon Toue. The man was smiling at him, sending a shiver crawling down his spine.

Destroy…

He wanted to destroy this man.

"While Mink-kun is distracted I would like to speak with you. Please come this way."

A trap? Aoba frowned and glanced over to the massive quarrel some feet away. He grit his teeth then turned to follow after Toue, trusting his mate to his own

devices.

"I suppose you understand that you're adopted, correct?" The brunet began to speak, flashing him a look through his one monocled eye.

Aoba remained steadfastly silent. It had never been a secret after all. Naine, his father, had found him on a beach so the story went, outside of a church on the mainland. He couldn't personally remember it but had heard the story from his mother, Haruka, before the two had left on their travels to never return.

"Yes of course you do. Tell me, what do you know of your real parents?" They slipped through a door on the side of the hall and Aoba's eyes widened.

Whereas the hall had been pristine, almost clinical in its whiteness this room was a bounty of colour. Presents and stuffed animals of every size littered the room and cages filled with birds hung from the ceiling, perforating the room with the sound of majestic song.

In the middle of the room sat a chair, an old antique looking thing in light brown wood and soft red velvet. And in that chair…

A surge of lightning shot through him, making him take a step back and distracting him momentarily from his pounding head. That face, it was a sweet albeit slightly feminine one much like his own. The hair surrounding it, inky black was cut in a bob that didn't quite brush his shoulders. Sightless dark brown, almost black eyes stared at him and Aoba clenched his fists.

He knew this person and for that there was only one explanation.

This was his brother.

"What have you done to him…?!" Rage swept through him and the voice in the back of his head cried out with it.

Eyes beginning to burn gold Aoba spun around on his heel and glared Toue straight in the face. He wanted to growl, he wanted to hit and wail upon him with the force of his furious indignation but kept still instead.

The weight of the gun on his side began to grow pleasant.

"I have done nothing." Toue responded calmly. "However young Sei-kun here has been through many experiments at the hands of my scientists throughout his brief life and I fear that his heart and mind grew weary under it. He's dying now, unfortunately. I have tried to enlist your grandmother to help him but alas, she refuses."

He sighed, a look of regret flashing across his face.

"Aoba-kun. As you have no doubt surmised this is your twin brother. I doubt that you shall be able to answer my previous question because, you see, there is no answer. The pair of you do not have parents."

Toue smiled again.

"I birthed you with the power of my scientists, including your grandmother, from a tube. You are a designer baby set to my specifications, barely human."

Silence.

Aoba stared at the taller man, face gone white with shock. No way, it wasn't true. It couldn't be true…

"Your ability to control people with your voice, Scrap, is a result of this, as is the feeling in your hair. You and Sei-kun were connected by it upon your birth though unfortunately for myself you were quite dead at the time while Sei-kun was alive. Tae-san spirited your corpse away. I suppose you came to life then because here you are, standing before me today."

Toue sighed and smiled wider, opening his arms as if to draw him into an embrace.

"I am the closest thing to a father you and your brother have, Aoba-kun. Will you join me?"

He was trembling. Closing his eyes Aoba forced his body to still, ignoring the whine that was building up in his throat from the extreme ache in his skull. He breathed hard through his nose, desperately gathering his thoughts.

"What...do you intend on doing?"

"Hm?" Toue's head tilted to the side and he brought both his hands to grip his cane's head. His smile turned into a neutral expression as he thought. "I shall privatize Midorijima and make it my own. Then, God willing I will move onto the rest of Japan, using werewolves and the power of lights and sounds to expand my empire. After that it is simply up to fate."

Then what they'd extrapolated was true.

Aoba drew in a deep breath. He felt suddenly, strangely calm as he reached into his jacket and withdrew the pistol strapped beneath his arm. It found its muzzle pointed dead center at Toue's head and when Aoba reopened his eyes, his face was blank.

"If you thought for a second I would help you do that then you're crazier than I thought."

Toue's smile was infuriatingly stubborn.

"But Aoba-kun," The man's voice took on a strange cadence that made his ears ring and he took a step back in alarm, fingers tightening on the glock. "wouldn't you like to destroy everything?"

Aoba's entire body jerked and then stilled, his eyes growing round as his breathing quickened.

"Destroy…"

'Destroy. Destroy everything. I want to...destroy everything.'

Then he closed his eyes, a little longer than the standard blink, and an ugly smile curled on his thick lips, the whites of his teeth glinting in the room's soft gentle light.

"Yeah." He uttered with a chuckle, long indigo lashes parting to reveal stunningly gold eyes. "I do. And first I think I'm going to start with you, old man."

Toue's eyes widened in alarm as the slim hand lowered the gun, dropped it to the floor and advanced on him. No. This was wrong.

"Stop!" He commanded, drawing himself up with narrowed eyes as he injected all his artificial power into his voice.

The kid's face twitched, becoming mildly annoyed as he stalled in his tracks before his face split into an even wider smile as he overrode the order.

"Are you kidding me?" He laughed a bright, charming chuckle before his eyes narrowed predatorily.

"Only my mate can do that to me and succeed you ignorant bastard." Aoba smirked, picking up speed.

Gritting his teeth Toue grabbed his cane in a tight grip and pulled it apart. A thin silver sword slipped out of the cane sheath and he snarled, jabbing at the boy with a practiced swing.

The blade glanced off the youth's scarred cheek, drawing blood and Aoba dodged in quick as a shot, grabbing Toue's arm.

"Big mistake." Crooned the smaller man and all Toue could see was gold as the world melted away.

When Aoba next awoke his cheek was pressed into the cold floor, a large hand on his shoulder shaking him awake. He groaned, squinting his eyes and furrowing his brows before opening his eyes and looking up.

"M-Mink…" He murmured, allowing his alpha to help him into a seated position.

Mink, clothed only in his pelt and heavily scarred with wounds, nodded to him then looked over at something. Aoba followed his gaze and was stunned to see Toue on the ground, convulsing with foam running down his mouth as he stared at the ceiling with bugged out eyes, his monocle on the ground and a sword still clutched in his hand. Aoba's jaw dropped at the sight, eyes wide with horror.

"...I did this…"

'I broke his mind. No,' Aoba swallowed tightly past his suddenly constricted throat, nausea welling in him. 'I destroyed it.'

"Hn. Good."

Looking up at Mink with shock Aoba watched as the half naked man stood and careful of his wounds picked up the gun from the floor where Aoba vaguely remembered dropping it. Walking over to the greatly shuddering man, Mink pulled back the slide with a hand, loading the chamber, and eyed the pathetic pile for a long solid moment.

He fired a round dead between Toue's eyes.

Aoba flinched at the sound and closed his eyes.

They'd done it, he thought, chest empty.

Toue was dead.

Standing from his position on the ground Aoba turned. His eyes landed swiftly on his twin who was cognizant now, watching them with a hint of life to his eyes and as soon as his gaze landed on the other, Sei's face broke into a sweet smile.

"Brother...I finally got to meet you…"

Aoba heaved a great shudder at the sound of Sei's voice and shut his eyes as they began to itch madly with tears. He reached up to wipe at them, beginning to limp over to the still seated man.

"Yeah...I'm sorry I'm so late, Sei. I-I didn't know…"

"That's fine." Breathed the black haired man as he looked up at him. "I don't blame you, not a bit...But Aoba, I do have a favour to ask you."

Aoba gave his brother a trembling smile, wrapping his arms about himself. Mink came to stand behind him, a frown settling across his face.

"Anything." The hazel eyed youth breathed.

Sei's gentle smile widened and he tilted his head to the side, gaze fond.

"I need you to destroy me...with your power."

Aoba's eyes popped open wide and a breath gushed out of his chest, leaving him flimsy like a sheet of paper in the wind. The words hit him dead in the chest and he took a moment to process them, hands clutching tighter at his arms.

"Aoba, I've waited for you all my life." Sei continued, not rising from his chair. "I need you to do this for me now, okay? My body is nearly dead...my mind is split into pieces. I need you to destroy me now.

Sei's eyes closed. "As recompense for everything I've done I need you to destroy me as you destroyed Toue."

No.

No, not okay. Definitely not okay. Aoba's heart trembled in his chest like a great weight had settled over him, leaving his nose clogging and his eyes stinging all the harder. He grit his teeth as he stared at his brother's smiling face.

The principle behind Scrap, his grandmother had explained to him, was to destroy, to kill, to bring ruin. He could ruin minds, break pieces off or destroy the whole thing in one swoop like he'd done to Toue. To do the same thing to Sei was only natural.

The ache in his head was gone now mysteriously and the voice who had only begged for destruction before was startlingly silent. Aoba swallowed thickly, beginning to shake, fully aware of Mink's gaze on him.

He shook his head.

"That...I can't do. Sei, let me save you!"

It wasn't fair. He'd only just met his brother and now the other was asking him to kill him? No way. No fucking way. Aoba shook his head harder, grimacing with pain as, overwhelmed with the entire situation, tears began to track down his cheeks.

His brother's smile was heartbreakingly sweet. "You can save me by destroying me Aoba. Please, do this for me now."

The other's jet black eyes stared deep into his own and Aoba stopped suddenly, eyes beginning to glaze.

It may not be a bad thing to fulfill his brother's wish he began to think, fists still shaking from their position wrapped around his biceps. Should he not grant the wish of a dying man? Sei had every right to fade out of the world as he wished instead of going out the victim of unscrupulous experiments, heart withering to nothing.

He could do this.

No, wait.

A pulse raced through his head and he blinked hard, grimacing and giving his head a shake. The moment he broke eye contact the odd haze that had pulled over his mind ended, leaving him a little off balance. He lifted his chin all the same, dropping his fists to his sides in determination.

"No. I refuse." Aoba limped forward and grabbed Sei under the arm, swinging the thin thing over his shoulders and straightening with one hand around his twin's waist. Sei's smile vanished and he blinked in surprise before his expression began to give way to something desperate and he began to struggle.

"Aoba, what are you doing?" He gasped, attempting to pull away but Aoba just clung to him tighter.

"Saving you. I refuse to destroy you Sei. By God you are going to learn a life outside of these walls. I'll make sure of it."

Then Aoba turned a weak, watery grin at the slight man. "If you think of it a certain way, aren't I destroying you by doing this? You'll grow and develop with new experiences and your former life, the one Toue forced on you, will be ruined. You can make up for whatever it is you did by giving back to the world and living on your own terms instead, okay?"

"But...Aoba, please..." Sei insisted, stricken.

"Grannys a doctor. She helps all the people in our neighbourhood. She'll fix you." Aoba said confidently and turned to Mink.

"Lets get out of here."

"Ah."

Aoba was fully aware of Sei's grief-stricken, teary eyed stare on him and pushed away the nibbling sense of guilt chewing on his insides. It wasn't fulfilling his brother's wish the way the man so obviously craved but hell if he was letting go of his brother like that after finally getting to meet him.

He would teach Sei how to live and in so doing, destroy the sadness that clung to him.

That was the right thing to do...

Right?

Getting back to the elevator was a bit of a chore. They were all in rather sorry shape after all and there was a lot of stairs to get down but they made it and it was with a keen sense of relief that Aoba saw Koujaku limping to meet them halfway.

They shared tired grins and bumped fists. Koujaku was a mess, his kimono torn and his hair quite a bit shorter than it had been, no doubt the victim of a stray laser. But, Aoba reflected, he was alive and that was all that mattered. Without question the sword wielding man came to grab Sei's other arm, slinging it over his shoulder to help support him. Sei had stopped struggling by then, too weak to continue but wasn't exactly helping them get him out either, a dead weight in their arms. His head was lowered, face hidden behind the brim of his hat but Aoba could sense the fine tremors wracking his body and knew his brother was crying as his plans dissolved around him.

He stared down at his twin, ignoring Koujaku's questioning gaze, and felt sympathy churn keenly in his stomach.

By the time they got down to the first floor there was a pile of unconscious guards by the elevator. Scratch and Beni-Shigure both were waiting for them with bruised, grinning faces.

"It's about damn time!" one of the Beni-Shigure members who Aoba recognized as Kou exclaimed.

"We've got the C-4 ready to detonate, Mink-san." A green haired Scratcher informed and Mink nodded, moving past them carelessly.

"Do it."

"Wait!" Aoba gasped, a shock of horror running through him. "Mink, we can't just leave these guards here like this! And what about everyone else in the building? We can't kill them!"

Mink blinked down at him with a look that Aoba thought was a startled one before frowning.

"Aoba," Sei said, startling the aforementioned man into looking down at him. His voice was soft an thick, face wet with tears of despair.

Still he eyed him with a gentle gaze. "Let me do something."

The bluenet stared at his brother with slight confusion, furrowing his brows as he watched Sei close his eyes in concentration. A moment later alarms began to ring through the building, shocking them, and screens popped up everywhere with Sei's face, eyes bading them to leave in silent command.

Aoba swallowed. So Sei had Scrap too, he realized finally, just with his eyes instead of his voice. That...made sense. He thought back to the way he'd nearly given in to a strange line of thought, almost killed his own brother he felt a niggling sense of betrayal run through him.

Sei had tried to use Scrap on him.

They would have to talk about that later.

"We gotta get out of here." He muttered and Koujaku nodded then looked to the rib teams.

"Oi! Everyone grab a guard and lets scram!"

The Scratch and Beni-Shigure looked at each other, a silent war of wills for a moment before moving to obey. Mink, halfway out of the building, didn't bother stopping.

Aoba quickly followed after him.

In the end there weren't any more encounters with guards, or civilians for that matter as they made their shambling escape. The people they did come across were too busy running to get out.

They left Oval Tower and walked even further, about three city blocks away before dropping the guards. Aoba turned around to look up at the massive tower glowing against the starlit sky.

He breathed in deep, ingraining the image in his eyes, and someone passed Mink a boxy looking detonator. There was a pause as Aoba turned to his mate, looking the half naked man in the eye and they stared at each other.

Then Mink flipped the switch.

There was a slight delay and for a moment Aoba thought something had gone wrong, already dreading having to go back in the building to fix the charges when at once multiple explosions sounded from the base of the giant tower, making the building shudder. Around them people began to scream and gasp as Oval Tower began to crumble, exhaling a massive plume of dust.

Within minutes it was a pile of rebar, cement and glass on the ground, ostentatious silhouette no more.

"...It's really gone…" Sei whispered in a stunned shaking voice and Aoba nodded.

The sky began to lighten from its perpetual night and he looked up, breathing a sigh of relief as he saw the sun begin to creep through the illusion, hanging low in the afternoon sky.

It was over.

"Lets get out of here."

Their escape was surprisingly easy, Aoba reflected a good month later as he sat on the couch, curled up with Ren in his lap as he watched the news. It was another run on the collapse of Oval Tower and the death of Toue, which had been contributed to a group of faceless terrorists. Aoba could only hope that they would stay faceless because hell if he wanted to go to jail or even die for what he had done knowing Akushima.

The wall surrounding Platinum Jail was beginning to come down, allowing the people of the Old Residential District to begin to finally get a peek inside and vice versa for the people of Platinum Jail. Rhyme, a game Aoba could vaguely remember playing now, had changed vastly with the disappearance of its host Usui and a previously unknown bug in allmates had come to light, allowing them to be fixed.

People, his grandmother included, also came forward under the veil of anonymity to confess their sins under the Toue administration, revealing the actions of Morphine, the experiments, the genocide of Mink's people in the Americas for the sake of research. Oddly enough Aoba had heard from neither Virus or Trip in some time now and reflected with worry that perhaps the Yakuza not-twins may have been a part of it all.

Life was, slowly but surely however, getting back to normal. Koujaku and Aoba had agreed to tell no one of their escapade, not even Mizuki which kind of hurt, because Aoba trusted that the leader of Dry Juice would keep it a secret from law enforcement. It was for the best though he supposed, running his fingers through his partner's thick fur.

Aoba hugged Ren to his chest, prompting the allmate to lick his scarred cheek. His thoughts turned to his childhood best friend and he sighed.

Koujaku did not approve of his and Mink's relationship and it put a strain on their friendship. The hairdresser was under the impression that Mink was somehow abusive, was too controlling and too forceful, too manipulative to be trusted. Aoba thought that Mink being a werewolf, something he had revealed to his friend with Mink's permission, had something to do with it too.

The man just didn't understand the way Mink worked. Mink was the alpha of their relationship and was therefore the dominant partner. Aoba, submissive, was obligated to follow along but that didn't mean he had no say in anything. If Mink wished it he could control Aoba but he did it so rarely that he honestly didn't have a problem with it.

They were equal partners in an equal relationship and Mink would never, ever hurt him.

In fact the man was helping him.

Aoba had revealed to Mink and Granny both the voice he had heard back in Oval Tower, prompting Tae to sigh and reveal to him an incident after he had been hospitalized a couple of years ago. She had determined with it that Aoba had a separate personality, one that ran off all his desires that he had pushed away during his life.

That Granny had waited that long to tell him kind of hurt but Aoba got over it, knowing that Tae was only worried for him and didn't want to stress him any further with the knowledge of his apparent mental illness.

Mink had hummed, eyes glazed over, deep in thought. That night he had told Aoba of a ceremony that would cleanse him of impurities, bad thoughts and evil spirits, and that he could do it for Aoba but would need time to gather ingredients.

Just yesterday he had told Aoba he had finally located the last thing he would need, and that they could do it today.

Actually, Aoba thought as he looked to his coil, Mink was due to arrive any minute. As if on cue he heard the front door open and grinned. He settled Ren on the couch next to him and got up, rushing through to the foyer to meet his alpha. The man gave him a very faint smile, making Aoba grin broader in response.

The man had changed in subtle ways since Toue's death. He was ever so slightly more open, more affectionate, prone to smiling more. Aoba knew that the man wasn't over the death of his people, knew he probably never would be, but he was beginning to heal all the same.

They went up to his room and what passed next was something so intimate Aoba was unsure if he should actually describe it to anyone. Mink explained that what they were doing was called a smudging ceremony, overviewed the purpose of each thing they did. Aoba did his best to follow the man's lead and eventually fell into something of a trance, guided by the smell of the burning medicines.

He came out of it feeling more at ease than he had in years, as though a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders or like there was a hole in his chest where the misery had been before where happiness could finally, finally seep in.

That night, embraced by Mink at his back with Ren at his feet and the formerly nameless bird, now Huracan on the headboard, he had a dream, a strange one where he met his other self on a beach painted gold by the rays of a dying sun.

His Desire explained to him in a quavery voice what exactly they were, that he, Aoba was Reason and that Ren was inhabited by the part of them that was Restraint.

Aoba realized soon enough that Desire only wanted to be loved and accepted. He felt guilt stab at him for pushing his other self away. Desire had saved him many times over with Scrap and here he was, repressing him with pills and shoving him further and further away.

The headaches may have been intolerable but for the first time Aoba felt glad that Mink dissuaded him from using his medication.

They clasped hands and with a teary smile and a grateful 'Thank you', Desire faded away.

When Aoba woke he felt heavier, a little more solid than he had before and smiled absently to himself, closing his eyes again and wrapping an arm around the one trapping his waist.

He was whole.

* * *

"Hey Sei, what goes in next?"

"Hmmm…" The dark eyed youth read the recipe carefully and Aoba peered over his shoulder, reading the screen hovering above his brother's coil. "It says to add the vanilla extract, then the eggs to the dry ingredients and stir until smooth."

"Ok! Hey, do you wanna stir?"

Sei smiled brightly and nodded. A year had passed since the destruction of Oval Tower and Aoba was more glad than ever that he'd 'destroyed' his brother the way he had. Sei had become a bright spot in his already wonderful life, a sweet and caring brother where there had been an empty piece before.

The slightly older (older only because Aoba had taken longer to come to life) man was protective in his own way, hiding a knife behind his easy smile. He'd even scared Mink into submission, alongside Granny when they'd both sat the werewolf down to give him a stern talk about how they expected him to treat Aoba.

It had taken awhile for the brunet to become healthy again, both mentally and physically and he was still prone to bouts of weakness and languish but those came less and less often, making Aoba secretly overjoyed for his brother's better health.

For his part, he was rather protective over his brother too. Much to his chagrin the instant he'd introduced Sei to Mizuki the older man had gone officially gaga and spent a good portion of his time attempting to woo Sei.

Aoba had sweetly threatened to cut out his colon and make him eat it if he ever hurt a hair on Sei's head, friendship or no. Mizuki agreed that would be an appropriate punishment, selling his Granny on the idea, and swore up and down that he would treat Sei like the princess he was.

They'd been going steady for about a month now.

Aoba passed the bowl to his brother and set to preparing the baking sheet. It was Koujaku's birthday today, marking his twenty-seventh year of living and as a part of the man's present they were making cookies. He glanced at the clock.

Even now, Aoba thought with a frown, Koujaku and Mink didn't get on. It disappointed him greatly but he supposed he should be thankful that they had at least learned to tolerate each other's presence without Koujaku trying to pick a fight.

Aoba had tried to explain to the man as best he could that having Mink by his side made him happy, well and truly happy and with that Koujaku had relented. Blessedly he had gone to seek out other relationships and Aoba was sure he was falling slowly but steadily out of his infatuation with him.

It made him glad. It would have broken his heart if they had to split up over something like that, ruining their life long friendship. Koujaku was his hero after all, his big brother when he'd had none and to lose him…

Aoba could barely stand the thought.

"Mink!" Sei chirped brightly and turned to the man at the table.

Mink hadn't exactly moved in but he very well may have. They split their nights between Aoba's room and Scratch headquarters, making sweet love whenever they felt like it. If he had to talk about it Aoba would explain that he felt very pampered and attended to, Mink making him spell out his consent each time and working very hard to make him feel good. Aoba always did his best to return the favour.

"Please taste this and tell us what you think?" Aoba continued where Sei left off, smiling hopefully at the man.

The man peered up at them through his reading glasses and eventually set his book down. One thing Aoba had learned about Mink was that the man well and truly loved to read and engaged in either that or crafting as much as he could. He was an accomplished jewelry maker and wove blankets and rugs with an intricacy that stunned Aoba.

He loved to watch the man work, loved to watch his long fingers weave dyed wool into place with deft artistry to create stunning shapes and patterns. It boggled his mind how simple string, a loom and a skilled worker could create something of such sheer beauty.

It could take anywhere from a couple of months to years to finish a project, Mink had explained to him once, depending on the size and intricacy. Mink liked to talk to him about things like that, sharing stories of mythos and family and traditions as though passing it on to someone else was the best he could do, seeing the demise of his people.

Sometimes it made Aoba feel a little like an outsider and he delved into the older man's culture carefully, not wanting to do anything wrong or offend.

Mink was patient though, educating him about every facet.

"Ah." Mink opened his mouth and Sei pushed a different, clean spoon into it.

The twins watched intently as the man chewed, swallowed and eventually spoke up.

"It's fine." Mink responded, causing Aoba to whoop and give a high five to his brother.

"Awesome!" Aoba cried and took the bowl from his brother. "Alright, lets get these on the tray and into the oven."

"Yes!" Sei smiled at his turquoise haired twin, gaze soft and affectionate.

His twin brother was a ray of vibrant energy piercing through his cloudy skies and Sei could only feel thankful that the man had 'destroyed' him the way he did. He had been hesitant at first, suicidal and miserable and wanting to die but surely Aoba had led him into the light of life.

Granted it had taken a lot of therapy, both physical and mental, for him to get to the point he was at. Anti-depressants had become his best friend, prescribed by a friend of Tae's who was a renowned expert in the field.

They left him feeling like he was looking at the world through new eyes, something that Aoba only encouraged.

Mizuki helped too. The man was gentle and understanding, supporting him with broad shoulders. He felt he could talk to Mizuki about anything and the man would never, ever judge him, would only love him all the more, and it was an amazing feeling.

He wondered if Aoba felt that way about Mink, or vice versa.

The cookies were in the oven and the sweet smell of baking perfumed the home. Sei was sure that Granny would be pleased with them, just as long as they washed the dishes when they were done.

Aoba heaved a sigh and wormed his way into Mink's lap, nuzzling in close. The man's large hand immediately lifted to his feathered and beaded hair, petting it slowly.

The sensation in it hadn't died so Mink was always careful about touching it for which Aoba was thankful for. Just having it in braids with turquoise and feathers in it felt strange, he wasn't sure how he'd be able to take it if Mink ever pulled it again like he had that one time at the beginning of their relationship.

The beading and feathering of his hair, Aoba recalled, had been a very intimate evening. He remembered it fondly, a smile etching across his features as he closed his eyes.

It had been a romantic day, filled with thunder and rain and Aoba could ask for nothing better for his birthday. Mink had spoiled him rotten, cooking him a small feast, massaging and bathing him with oils while the storm raged outside. The rain leaked in through the roof, pure and clean and he rinsed off in it with a shiver, grateful for the cold. Mink led him to the bed then, a thankfully proper one versus the simple cot he had the year before, and sat him down. There he gifted Aoba a hand woven blanket and a pair of bracelets.

They spoke for a long time, Mink's hands in his hair and his head against the other's broad shoulder.

"Aoba." Mink intoned.

Aoba looked up from where he had been watching Huracan and Ren sleep together, blinking lazily at Mink before giving him a lidded smile.

He was completely relaxed, full of stomach and body at peace.

"Yeah?" He asked breathily, reaching up to run his fingers through Mink's long hair.

It wasn't dreaded anymore. It had taken tenacity and patience but after a day or so of work it lay loose and smooth in its natural texture. Aoba had loved it before and he loved it now, enjoyed running his fingers through it very much in a way he hadn't quite been able to before.

"Would you allow me to do something with your hair?"

Aoba blinked, the skin between his brows puckering as he frowned in slight confusion. "My...hair?"

"Ah. It would mean very much to me if you allowed me to feather and bead it." Mink looked down at him then, clear blue eyes cool but Aoba could see the tinge of hope hidden within their depths.

Aoba stared, mind rushing. After a moment he smiled.

"Well when you say it like that I can't exactly say no, can I?" He chuckled and nodded, pulling away from the wolfman's shoulder. "You may."

Mink nodded and stood from the bed, walking to the wardrobe and withdrawing a wooden box. When he turned to reveal the contents to him Aoba's eyes widened somewhat.

Inside were hollow beads of turquoise, an assortment of small feathers and white string. There were odd looking clips and tools and Aoba nervously eyed a pair of pliers in the corner, hesitant at the thought of allowing them anywhere near his sensitive locks.

Mink caught his hand and kissed it smoothly, alleviating his worries. Mink would do nothing to hurt him, he remembered, and would treat him gently.

What followed was long and tender-hearted. Mink's hands were nothing but considerate as he first braided his hair, securing them with the beads and white thread. Aoba winced slightly as his hair was knotted, the sensation odd and somewhat uncomfortable.

Then Mink feathered it. These were placed toward the back of his head, the pristine white feathers hooked in with an odd string implement before secured with a metal clip. The indigo haired man hissed slightly, tensing as Mink used the pliers to secure them firmly.

"...Did that hurt?" His mate asked after a moment had passed.

Unable to stop himself Aoba reached back and tenderly touched the sensitive strands, massaging the pain out of them.

"...A bit…" He said reluctantly, looking toward Mink with a wince in his face.

The squeezing on his hair would take some time to get used to but he would endure it. For Mink.

Still the man frowned slightly and Aoba recognized right away that the brunet felt guilty for it and smiled, turning around to drape his arms across the man's shoulders.

"If it's for you then I don't mind." Aoba tilted his head then grinned a bit. "Does it look good?"

Mink blinked with a hint of surprise before a smirk grew on his features. "It looks like you're mine."

And with that the larger man pushed his face into Aoba's neck, biting and suckling with a fervor that momentarily surprised him. Aoba gasped, eyes growing wide before hooding and he tilted his head back in submission, one hand running through the man's thick silky tresses.

Mink growled in pleasure and shifted to grab his waist tightly. He shifted them then, gently easing Aoba's back into the sheets and taking Aoba's slim legs to secure them around his waist. He moved to Aoba's mouth then, biting and kissing until they were swollen and red. Aoba moaned with happiness, squeezing Mink's waist tightly as his hands wandered up the musculature of his broad back.

They weren't lovers yet. Aoba hadn't attempted to rectify this, content with their interactions up until now. Holding hands, kissing, making out, it was all good to him and the thought of the day when they would become intimate for the first time always filled him with nerves.

What if he embarrassed himself? He wasn't exactly experienced with men. Mink's and his relationship was full of firsts and the thought that he wouldn't be able to pleasure his older mate was a worry that admittedly kept him up at night and caused Ren to scold him.

He'd done his research, embarrassing as it had been. He knew the ins and outs of gay sex, had tried to prepare himself for it but the thought still filled his stomach with nervy butterflies.

Aoba sighed softly as Mink pulled away, blinking contently up at the larger man. Mink's large paw was gliding up and down his side, the other planted firmly beside his head to support him and his eyes shone a lovely gold that Aoba recognized. It was his wolf side, coming closer to the surface.

Mink could control his transformations, something which Aoba was forever grateful for. There was no worry about a ravenous wolf during the full moons as the man had complete control over himself. That control had been what Toue was after, Aoba reminisced as he stared up at the man.

He was glad they'd been able to deal with him successfully.

"Aoba…" Mink's deep voice was husky with a familiar emotion, causing Aoba to swallow dryly.

This, the hazel eyed man reflected, was usually when they stopped. Mink seemed to sense that he wasn't fully ready for that next pivotal step in their relationship and usually laid off when it got to this point.

However they'd been together since last October, totalling up nearly a full seven months and Aoba was twenty-three now, full grown and mature.

The man took in a deep breath and swallowed his nerves, closing his eyes.

"Aoba?"

"Mink...I want another birthday present." Breathed the youth softly, opening his eyes.

They'd made passionate love after that, sweet and slow then rough and hard. Mink had bitten deeply into the nape of his neck, claiming him truly for his own.

No, Aoba thought as he settled deeper into Mink's chest, enveloped in the man's sweet warm smell. The scar on his nape throbbed with the memory of his mate's claiming bite, marking him as well and truly his, and he sighed in pleasure.

He'd never give this up.


End file.
